Another conference clash awaits us in the NCAAB on Friday, February 10, and here you can take a look at the best Lobos vs. Falcons betting pick and odds.

Air Force is hoping to avoid the seventh consecutive defeat when they welcome New Mexico at Clune Arena. The Musketeers are 6-point favorites on BookMaker Sportsbook, while the total is set at 144.5 points. These Mountain West rivals will meet for the second time this year; the Lobos won 81-73 at home two weeks ago.

Lobos fell short of Nevada at home

The New Mexico Lobos (19-5, 12-10-1 ATS) lost three of the last four games and suffered consecutive defeats for the second time this season. After losing to the Utah State Aggies on the road, the Lobos fell short of the Nevada Wolf Pack at home. New Mexico had a 76-75 lead until the very last second when Kenan Blackshear made a jumper and snatched a victory for the Wolf Pack. The hosts made only four three-pointers opposite Nevada’s 11, and even the fact that they hit 16 more free throws didn’t help New Mexico to get a W.

Junior guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. led the Lobos with 21 points and game-high six assists. Morris Udeze added 18 points, game-high nine rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, Jaelen House had 18 points and six boards, while KJ Jenkins contributed 11 points off the bench.

Falcons are still struggling

The Air Force Falcons (12-13, 15-10-0 ATS) are going through their worst period of the season; they lost six games in a row and failed to score more than 53 points in four of the previous five games. The latest defeat came to the Colorado State Rams at home after shooting 41.7% from the field, while the Rams shot 55.8% from the floor. The visitors were better in rebounds (31-23) and forced 12 turnovers while committing eight on the other end.

Sophomore forward Beau Becker led the Falcons with 13 points and four rebounds. Jake Heidbreder also scored 13 points, but two of them lacked more support from teammates on offense. Rytis Petraitis, who is the team’s second top-scorer, failed to score a single point from four shots.

Trends:

New Mexico:

  • 4-1 ATS in the last five games when playing on the road against Air Force
  • 15-5 SU in the last 20 games
  • 6-0 SU in the last six games played on a Friday

Air Force:

  • 4-9 ATS in the last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record
  • 0-6 SU in the last six games

New Mexico Lobos vs. Air Force Falcons Pick

New Mexico has a top-20 offense that averages 81.8 points per game, which is a lot more than Air Force’s 66.4 ppg. The Falcons scored more than 60 points only once in the last six games and there is no way the hosts can outscore the Lobos. They do have a slightly stronger defense, but with a such an inefficient offense, I can only expect New Mexico to get a win here. Jamal Mashburn Jr, Jaelen House, and Morris Udeze combine for a bit more than 53 points per game this year, and I am backing them to torch the Falcons on Friday.

Pick: Take the Lobos to win at -4.5 (-133)

The Total

I mentioned how badly the Falcons’ offense is playing of late and I don’t believe they can score enough points to help the Over bettors here. I can’t say the Lobos have a solid defense (71.7 points allowed per game), but considering Air Force’s poor offense, I can expect the visitors to limit the hosts to 60-65 points. Under is 4-1 in the Lobos’ last five vs. a team with a losing straight-up record, while Under is 6-2 in the Falcons’ previous eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Pick: Go Under 145.5 points (-133)