Nicholls Colonels vs Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Nicholls vs Texas-Rio Grande Valley NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Edinburg.

Nicholls vs Texas-Rio Grande Valley Prediction

Betting on today's Colonels and Vaqueros game? Catch the action at UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg, TX, as the Vaqueros hosts this showdown at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. This Southland conference matchup has an over/under of 149.5 points, and Texas-Rio Grande Valley is favored to win by -1.5 at home vs. Nicholls.

Nicholls vs. Texas-Rio Grande Valley Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Nicholls Colonels at Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros
Where: Edinburg at UTRGV Fieldhouse
Date: Monday, January 27th
Betting Odds UTRGV -1.5, NICHLS +104 | UTRGV -125 O/U 149.5

Colonels Preview: Is A Road Victory Likely for Underdog Nicholls?

Nicholls Colonels Recent Game

The Colonels fell to 8-9 on the season after a 61-57 road loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday. Nicholls entered the game as +5 point underdogs and managed to cover the spread.

After trailing 26-18 at halftime, the Colonels put up 39 points in the 2nd half while allowing 35. The game’s total points of 118 fell well short of the 150.5 O/U line.

Colonels Offense Breakdown

The Colonels struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 57 points on 36.2% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 37.9%, and they hit only 2 of 18 three-point attempts, shooting 11.1% from beyond the arc.

Garry Clark and Jamal West Jr. each contributed 20 points, with Clark shooting 64.3% from the field and grabbing 10 rebounds. Robert Brown III added 15 points, despite missing all 8 of his three-point attempts.

Colonels Team Defense

Despite a strong defensive effort, Nicholls gave up 61 points, with their opponent shooting 37% from the field. The Colonels held them to 41% on two-point attempts, as they went 18/43 inside the arc.

Nicholls also limited their opponent's three-point shooting, allowing just 2 made threes on 11 attempts (18%). However, they sent them to the free-throw line 31 times, where they converted 19 (61%). The Colonels also gave up 13 offensive rebounds.

Vaqueros Preview: Can the Vaqueros Offense Score Enough at Home?

Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s season record dropped to 8-8 after a 93-63 home loss to McNeese State on Saturday. The Vaqueros entered the game as +9.5 underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

UTRGV trailed 40-26 at halftime and allowed 53 points in the 2nd half while scoring 37. The game’s total points of 156 exceeded the O/U line of 144.

Vaqueros Offense Breakdown

Texas-Rio Grande Valley struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 37.1% from the field and 21.2% from beyond the arc, hitting 7 of 33 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.9%, and they scored 63 points overall.

Quadir Copeland led the way with 21 points and 8 assists, while Trey Miller added 19 points, hitting 2 of 5 from three. Joe Charles was efficient, shooting 80% from the field and 3 of 4 from deep, also grabbing 10 rebounds.

Vaqueros Team Defense

Despite giving up 93 points, Texas-Rio Grande Valley held their opponent to 37% shooting from the field. The Vaqueros allowed 55% shooting on two-pointers, with the opposing team hitting 16 of 29 attempts.

From beyond the arc, the Vaqueros' defense limited their opponent to 7 made threes on 33 attempts, a 21% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the line 14 times, where they converted 10 free throws at a 71% rate.

Colonels vs Vaqueros Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last three road games, Nicholls has averaged 72 points per game while allowing 74. The team's record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 3-0.
In their last five games at home, the Vaqueros have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-2-1 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 73 points per game in these contests.
In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Colonels have a straight up record of 1-2 and an ATS mark of 3-0.
Through their last five matchups as the betting favorite, the Vaqueros have a good straight up record, but their ATS mark is just 2-3.