Posted on
1/24/2008 7:10:24 PM
NCAA Basketball Betting – Nevada at New Mexico State
By Charles Jay
The Aggies of New Mexico State (10-10 SU, 5-11 ATS) will go after its second straight win in Western Athletic Conference play on Thursday night when they play host to the Nevada Wolf Pack (10-7 SU, 7-9 ATS) in a game tipping off at 9 PM ET at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces.
In the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds, New Mexico State is listed as a four-point favorite.
Here are some of the NCAA college basketball betting trends and stats relative to this matchup:
* NEV has won eight of its last 11 games SU
* NEV has covered two of its last six road games
* NEV has won three of its last 10 road games SU
* NEV has played four of its last five road games UNDER the total
* NMSU has won five of its last six games SU
* NMSU has won 22 of its last 25 home games SU
* NEV has won four of the last five meetings SU
* NMSU has covered the last three meetings
* NEV shoots 46.2% from the field
* NEV is shooting 71% from the free throw line
* NEV allows 42.2% shooting by opponents
* NMSU has committed 16.8 turnovers per game
* NMSU averages 41.8 rebounds per home game (4th in nation)
* NMSU is shooting 63.1% from the free throw line
New Mexico State was the pre-season favorite in the WAC in the minds of many. This is a pretty balanced team, as far as scoring distribution is concerned, but there has clearly been a sharp downturn after Marvin Menzies took over for Reggie Theus, who took off for the NBA's Scaramento Kings. When you consider that this team won 25 games last year and went to the NCAA tournament, you realize they've taken a backward step. The Aggies had won 19 of their last 20 games at home coming into this season, but have already dropped decisions in Las Cruces to UTEP and North Texas.
There's not much power up front for the Aggies, and freshman guard Jahmar Young is spectacular at times but inconsistent (40.5% FG's). The same can be said for NMSU's ball-handling, which has produced an assist-to-TO ratio of minus-1.2. Nevada's been up and down, and there's not much depth, but the Wolf Pack has the top weapon in tjis game in senior guard Marcelus Kemp (19.5 ppg), but the real difference-maker is 6'11" center JaVale McGee (12.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg), who has blocked more than three shots per contest.
That's where Nevada is going to extract its advantage - keeping NMSU away from the easy baskets and force the Aggies to beat them from the perimeter. We'll take the points with Nevada, the four-point underdog in the BetUS NCAA basketball betting odds.
BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds: NEW MEXICO ST. -4
JAY'S PLAY: NEVADA
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(Charles Jay of TotalActionExtra.com gives it the old college try as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)