UNLV vs. Boise State prediction and odds for Sunday, February 19 (Broncos win with defense)

If you’re not into watching the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night, there is still a way to get a basketball fix with some Mountain West hoops.

The Boise State Broncos are hosting the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels as they look to hold on to the No. 2 spot in the conference. UNLV has struggled a bit in conference play, going just 5-9 and losing its last two games.

The Runnin’ Rebels failed to cover in their lone game as 7.5-point dogs or bigger this season, and this could be a tough matchup against a Broncos team that dominated them in the first meeting this season.

Here are the odds and a best bet for this matchup:

UNLV vs. Boise State odds, spread and total

UNLV vs. Boise State prediction and pick

The Broncos are elite as home favorites this season in terms of margin of victory, winning those games by 15.5 points per contest. They’ve only gone 6-5 against the spread, but they have an elite defense that should slow this UNLV attack.

Boise State ranks ninth in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom, and it dominated UNLV on the road, winning by 18 points in their first meeting this season.

The Runnin’ Rebels biggest issue on defense in this matchup comes at defending the 3-point shot. UNLV ranks 280th in the country in opponent 3-point percentage while the Broncos are shooting 36.7 percent from deep on the season, good for 57th in the country.

If UNLV can’t slow down the Broncos from 3, it’s going to have a tough time keeping up against such a great defense.

Lay the points with Boise State at home.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.