Half-time report
After a tough road loss in their last outing, Nevada looks much better today on their home court. They jumped out to an early 33-28 lead against Utah State.
If Nevada continues to play like this, their record will drop to 9-5 in no time. On the other hand, Utah State will have to settle for a 12-2 record unless they turn things around (and quickly).
Who’s playing
Utah State Aggies @ Nevada Wolf Pack
Current records: Utah State 12-1, Nevada 8-5
How to watch
- When: Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at 10 p.m. ET
- Or: Lawlor Events Center – Reno, Nevada
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $11.00
What you need to know
We have another exciting game against the Mountain West on the schedule as the Nevada Wolf Pack and Utah State Aggies are set to lose on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET at the Lawlor Events Center. The Wolf Pack struts with some offensive power as they have averaged 75.5 points per game this season.
Pundits predicted Nevada would come back from a win, but Wyoming made sure that didn’t happen. Nevada narrowly fell to Wyoming by a score of 66-63 on Saturday. For those watching at home, this is the closest loss the Wolf Pack has suffered to the Cowboys since March 5, 2020.
Despite their defeat, Nevada saw several players rise to the challenge and make remarkable plays. Kobe Sanders, who scored 15 points and three steals, was perhaps the best of them all. The team also received help from Justin McBride, who had 11 points to go along with five rebounds and three blocks.
Meanwhile, Utah State lost to San Diego State 67-66 on Saturday. The victory was all the more dramatic because the Aggies trailed by 18 with 1:55 left in the first half.
Utah State can attribute much of its success to Mason Falslev, who had 16 points to go along with five steals.
It was Nevada’s second straight loss and dropped its season record to 8-5. As for Utah State, this victory gave them their second straight victory and brings their season record to 12-1.
Looking ahead, Nevada is the favorite as experts expect it to win by 3.5 points. This contest will be their 14th in a row as favorites (so far in that stretch, they are 8-5 ATS).
Tuesday’s contest is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Nevada simply can’t miss this season, making 49.3 percent of its field goals per game. However, it’s not like Utah State is struggling in this department as they have made 48.7% of their field goals this season. Given these competing forces, it will be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Odds
Nevada is a 3.5-point favorite over Utah State, according to latest college basketball odds.
Oddsmakers had a good idea of ​​the line for this one, as the game opened with the Wolf Pack as a 2.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 143.5 points.
See college basketball picks for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Utah State has won 6 of its last 10 games against Nevada.
- February 6, 2024 – Nevada 77 vs. Utah State 63
- February 18, 2023 – Utah State 75 vs. Nevada 66
- January 13, 2023 – Nevada 85 vs. Utah State 70
- February 11, 2022 – Nevada 85 vs. Utah State 72
- January 29, 2022 – Utah State 78 vs. Nevada 49
- February 28, 2021 – Utah State 87 vs. Nevada 66
- February 26, 2021 – Utah State 75 vs. Nevada 72
- January 11, 2020 – Utah State 80 vs. Nevada 70
- March 2, 2019 – Utah State 81 vs. Nevada 76
- January 2, 2019 – Nevada 72 vs. Utah State 49
