The 2021-22 CBB season continues Friday, February 11, with 14 games around the country, so we’re taking a closer look at the Mountain West Conference showdown from ExtraMile Arena in Boise, Idaho, to get you the best UNLV vs. Boise State betting pick and odds. 

The Rebels take on the Broncos for the first time this season. UNLV is listed as an 8-point road underdog on BetOnline Sportsbook, while the totals sit at 130.5 points. 

UNLV battered Air Force to return to winning ways     

The UNLV Rebels (6-5 Conf.) improved to 14-10 straight up and 9-14 ATS on the season following a 78-44 thrashing of the Air Force Falcons this past Tuesday. Playing as 10.5-point home favorites, the Rebels bounced back from a 90-75 defeat at Utah State, recording their third victory in the last four games overall.

Senior guard Bryce Hamilton leads the charge for UNLV, racking up 21.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He’s scored 23 or more points in six of his previous seven appearances. The Rebels are still without junior guard Donovan Williams, who’s averaged 14.1 points and 3.6 boards before his knee injury. Williams might return in a couple of weeks.

The Rebels are No. 110 in the latest NCAA NET Rankings and No. 101 in the KenPom rankings. They score 108.2 points per 100 possessions (79th in the nation) and surrender 100.9 in a return (140th).

Boise State had no problems beating San Jose State  

The Boise State Broncos (9-1 Conf.) are coming off a comfortable 76-60 home win over the San Jose State Spartans. They failed to cover a massive 21-point spread, but the Broncos didn’t break too much sweat, improving to 18-5 straight up on the season.

Freshman forward Tyson Degenhart accounted for 23 points against the lowly Spartans, while senior F Abu Kigab added 18 points, 11 rebounds, and five steals. Kigab has led the way for the Broncos so far this season, tallying 14.0 points and 6.5 rebounds a night.

Boise State is No. 34 in the NCAA NET Rankings and No. 29 in the KenPom rankings. The Broncos score 104.2 points per 100 possessions (139th in the country) and yield only 88.2 in a return (7th). They rank 12th in the nation in triples allowed per game (5.2).

Trends:

UNLV:

  • 4-8 ATS in the last 12 games played in February

Boise State:

  • 9-5 ATS in the last 14 games overall

UNLV vs. Boise State Pick

The Rebels lean on Bryce Hamilton way too much, and that shouldn’t work against one of the best defensive teams in the country. The Broncos will be all over UNLV’s top scorer, so give me the hosts and points.

Boise State is not a great offensive team, but the Broncos should have enough firepower to deal with the Rebels. Also, I’m expecting the Broncos’ depth to make the difference. Four of their players average points in double figures. Boise State is 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS in its last five tilts against UNLV.

Pick: Take Boise State -8.0 at -110                

The Total:

The betting trends are suggesting the over, but I’m not sure the Rebels and Broncos will combine for more than 130 points in total. The over is 7-1 in UNLV’s last eight games on the road, 3-0 in Boise State’s previous three games overall, and 7-2 in the last nine meetings between these two schools.

I’ve mentioned the Broncos’ stout D. They love to play at a slow pace, registering 65.7 possessions per 40 minutes. Boise State has allowed 63 or fewer points in seven of its past eight tilts. On the other side, the Rebels average 67.0 possessions per 40 minutes. Two of their last three contests have produced fewer than 131 points in total. 

Pick: Go under 130.5 points at -110