New Mexico State Aggies vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our New Mexico State vs Western Kentucky NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Bowling Green.

New Mexico State vs Western Kentucky Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Aggies and Hilltoppers. The game is starting at 3:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Hilltoppers at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, KY. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 141.5 points, and Western Kentucky is favored by -2.5 to win at home against New Mexico State.

New Mexico State vs. Western Kentucky Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: New Mexico State Aggies at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Where: Bowling Green at E. A. Diddle Arena
Date: Saturday, February 1st
Betting Odds WKENT -2.5, NMXST +126 | WKENT -152 O/U 141.5

Aggies Preview: Will New Mexico State Come Through as Road Underdogs?

New Mexico State Aggies Recent Game/Games

The Aggies evened their season record at 9-9 after a 61-57 win over Middle Tennessee on Thursday. New Mexico State, who entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

New Mexico State led 35-26 at halftime but allowed 31 points in the 2nd half while scoring 26. The total points for the game were 118, which was well under the O/U line of 142.5.

Aggies Offense Breakdown

New Mexico State struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 61 points with a field goal percentage of 40.3%. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.9%, and they hit only 16.7% of their three-point attempts, going 3-for-18 from beyond the arc.

Inside the arc, the Aggies shot 50% on two-point attempts, with Robert Carpenter and Peter Filipovity both shooting 6-for-12 overall. Camryn Weston led the team with 19 points, while Filipovity added 9 rebounds and 3 assists.

Aggies Team Defense

New Mexico State's defense held their opponent to just 57 points, despite allowing them to shoot 43% from the field. The Aggies gave up 63% shooting on two-point attempts, with the opposing team making 17 of 27 shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, New Mexico State's defense was more effective, limiting their opponent to 6 made threes on 26 attempts, a 23% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 8 times, where they made 5 free throws, shooting 62%.

Hilltoppers Preview: Pressure Builds for Western Kentucky as Home Favorites

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Recent Game/Games

Western Kentucky improved to 11-8 on the season with a 78-74 win over UTEP on Thursday, January 30th. The Hilltoppers were favored by 2.5 points and covered the spread in the victory.

Leading 34-32 at halftime, Western Kentucky scored 44 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42. The game’s total points of 152 exceeded the O/U line of 147.5.

Hilltoppers Offense Breakdown

Western Kentucky's offense put up 78 points in their last game, shooting 55.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 63%. They were dominant inside, hitting 71.9% of their two-point attempts, while struggling from beyond the arc, shooting just 31.8% (7/22).

Khristian Lander led the way with 28 points, shooting 73.3% overall and 66.7% from three-point range (4/6). David Terrell Jr. added 15 points and 8 assists, and Don McHenry contributed 20 points. The Hilltoppers managed just 4 offensive rebounds and hit 68.8% of their free throws (11/16).

Hilltoppers Team Defense

Western Kentucky's defense struggled, giving up 74 points on 55% shooting from the field. They allowed 23 two-point baskets on 32 attempts, a 71% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, their opponents shot 31%, hitting 7 of 22 three-point attempts. Western Kentucky sent them to the line 16 times, where they made 11 free throws, a 68% success rate. Despite the defensive issues, Western Kentucky only gave up 4 offensive rebounds.

Aggies vs Hilltoppers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last three road contests, New Mexico State has been good against the spread posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 60 points per game.
Across their ten previous home games, Western Kentucky has an ATS mark of 5-5. Their straight up record in these matchups was 3-7 while averaging 68 points per game.
New Mexico State has done well both straight up and vs the spread as the underdog, going 2-1 SU and 2-1 ATS in their last three games.
As the betting favorite, the Hilltoppers have an ATS mark of just 6-3-1 in their last ten games. Western Kentucky posted a straight up mark of 8-2 in these matchups.