San Jose State Spartans vs UNLV Runnin’ Rebels Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our San Jose State vs UNLV NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Las Vegas.

San Jose State vs UNLV Prediction

Betting on today's Spartans and Runnin' Rebels game? Catch the action at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV, as the Runnin' Rebels hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on MWN. The over/under for this Mountain West conference contest is set at 140.5 points, with UNLV being favored by -10.5 at home against San Jose State.

San Jose State vs. UNLV Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: San Jose State Spartans at UNLV Runnin' Rebels
Where: Las Vegas at Thomas & Mack Center
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds UNLV -10.5, SJST +360 | UNLV -483 O/U 140.5

Spartans Preview: Is A Road Victory Likely for Underdog San Jose State?

San Jose State fell to 5-8 on the season after a 72-50 home loss to Colorado State on Tuesday. The Spartans entered the game as +3.5 point underdogs but failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 122 points fell short of the 140.5-point O/U line.

San Jose State struggled offensively, scoring just 15 points in the first half. They improved in the second half, putting up 35 points, but allowed 39 points to the Rams during that stretch.

Spartans Offense Breakdown

San Jose State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 29.5% from the field and 8.7% from three-point range, connecting on only 2 of 23 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 31.1%, and they managed just 5 offensive rebounds and 5 assists as a team.

Nique Clifford was a bright spot, scoring 22 points on 8 of 11 shooting, including 3 of 6 from beyond the arc, and adding 10 rebounds and 3 assists. Rashaan Mbemba also contributed, hitting 6 of 7 shots for 12 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.

Spartans Team Defense

San Jose State's defense held their opponent to 72 points, allowing just 18 field goals on 29% shooting. They gave up 16 two-pointers on 38 attempts, a 42% success rate.

From beyond the arc, San Jose State's defense was even more effective, limiting their opponent to 2 made threes on 23 attempts, just 8% shooting. They also allowed 12 free throws on 16 attempts, a 75% rate, and gave up 5 offensive rebounds.

Runnin' Rebels Preview: Is It the Runnin' Rebels Game to Lose at Home?

UNLV improved to 8-5 on the season with a 77-58 road win over Air Force on Tuesday. The Runnin' Rebels, who were -7.5 favorites, covered the spread with the victory.

Leading 38-26 at halftime, UNLV outscored Air Force 39-32 in the second half. The total points for the game were 135, just over the 132.5 O/U line.

Runnin' Rebels Offense Breakdown

UNLV's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, shooting 57.1% from the field and hitting 56.2% of their threes (9/16). Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 65.3%, and they finished with 77 points.

Julian Rishwain led the way with 16 points, hitting 4 of 7 from deep. Jaden Henley and Ethan Taylor each added 14 points, with Taylor also grabbing 8 rebounds.

Runnin' Rebels Team Defense

UNLV's defense was strong in their last game, holding their opponent to just 58 points on 33% shooting from the field. They allowed 19 made field goals on 57 attempts.

From beyond the arc, UNLV limited their opponent to 8 threes on 35 attempts, a 22% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they made 12 free throws.

Spartans vs Runnin' Rebels Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, San Jose State has an ATS mark of 5-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-8 while averaging 66 points per game.
UNLV has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 71 points per game while allowing 75. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Spartans have a straight up record of 2-8 and an ATS mark of 7-3.
In their last five contests as the favorite, UNLV has a poor record vs the spread going 2-3. But, they still put together a straight up mark of 5-0.