UNLV vs Colorado State Odds, Pick for Friday

Colorado State and UNLV meet at Moby Arena on Friday to tip off this weekend’s action in the Mountain West.

The Rams have had a terrific season so far, dropping only three games to enter this matchup at 14-3 overall and 2-2 in the MWC.

Meanwhile, the Rebels have had multiple close calls that haven’t gone their way and sport a 9-7 record.

These are a pair of teams pushing for a chance to play in the NCAA tournament, which should give us a great matchup in Fort Collins.

Head coach Kevin Kruger has to be asking if some bounces will eventually go his team’s way. Of UNLV’s last four losses, three of those have come by three points or less.

The heartbreaks began with a one-possession loss to Loyola Marymount before falling in double overtime to Saint Mary’s.

However, the worst of the bunch came in conference play. In a defeat to No. 20 Utah State, the Aggies used a five-point play with eight seconds remaining in the game to win 87-86.

With that said, Kruger’s squad does have some quality wins. The Rebels took down No. 18 Creighton and an Akron team in the top 100 of the NET.

They've carried that momentum into MWC action by beating both New Mexico and Boise State. The schedule should lighten up soon for UNLV, and this could be a dangerous team in March.

After winning 13 of its first 14 games, Niko Medved’s squad has run into a couple of speed bumps in conference play. The Rams dropped both road games last week at No. 16 Utah State and Boise before defeating Air Force in a mid-week contest.

The impressive start to the season resulted in a program-record seven weeks ranked in the AP Poll. This run included wins over Colorado, Creighton, Washington, Boston College and Louisiana Tech, who are all inside the top 100 of the NET.

One of the keys to Colorado State's success has been the play of Isaiah Stevens. The grad senior is one of the nation’s top guards, averaging 17.1 points per game on over 51% shooting from the field and 46% from beyond the arc.

Stevens also ranks third in the country in assists at 7.2 per contest. He was named the Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year and was added to multiple watch lists, which will only continue to grow if he keeps up these performances.

This game ultimately comes down to whether you're buying UNLV’s recent form over the last month or not. I do like what I see from this talented team, but I think this could be a slower start to this contest.

So, my best bet is to take Colorado State on the first-half spread of -4 or better, which will be released closer to first tip after this article is released.

When the Rebels have played outside of the Thomas & Mack Center, they've been losing at halftime in five of eight games.

This is also just a bad spot for them here. They just snapped multiple streaks with the win at Boise on Tuesday, and now UNLV has to play a game in high elevation on short rest.

I could also see points in this game between two great offenses, but I just worry about the visitors’ legs in this spot.

I also expect Colorado State to start strong after the poor showing last game against Air Force.

Pick: Colorado State 1H -4 or Better