by Chuck Sommers
Thursday, Feb 02, 2023
Time: 11 p.m. ET
Venue: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
Where to watch: CBS Sports Network
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: UNLV -10
FanDuel: UNLV -9.5
BetMGM: UNLV -10.5
Caesars: UNLV -10
Season record
Fresno State: 7-14 (3-7 Mountain West)
UNLV: 15-7 (4-6 Mountain West)
February is here and the college basketball season is taking full shape. Conference races still to be determined, the top 25 completely in shambles for what seems like every week, and there's bound to be an upset what seems like every single week. But as the season continues to progress with what seems like exciting action every week, you know our champion handicappers continue to put the work in each and every week to not only make money for them, but to ensure you get money in your pocket. All you need to do is look at the last 30 days. Scott Rickenbach has reeled in a net profit of $14,000 with a 24-9-0 run on the college hardwood. Team Del Genio has killed it with a 13-1-0 run at +$11,900. Will Rogers (28-15-0) and Matt Fargo (40-27-0) have also seen five figures over the last 30 days with college basketball. Surely, you want to get on this winning as well. All you need to do is go to bigal.com, check out our Best Bets page and make sure you are following along on the action. March will be here before you know it! Take advantage of our best best plays and find out what our champion handicappers are doing at bigal.com!
Fresno State - UNLV preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Fresno State: lost 85-62 at Wyoming
UNLV: won 83-71 at Colorado State
The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels will be looking for their fourth straight win and a chance to continue to climb to the middle of the Mountain West standings when they take on the Fresno State Bulldogs at Thomas & Mack Center on Friday.
The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels will be looking for their fourth straight win and a chance to continue to climb to the middle of the Mountain West standings when they take on the Fresno State Bulldogs at Thomas & Mack Center on Friday.
After a near-best program start followed by a long losing streak, UNLV has rattled off three straight wins and is coming off an 83-71 win over the Colorado State Rams on Tuesday after winning two big games (including the in-state rivalry against Nevada-Reno) at home.
EJ Harkless led UNLV with 17 points and Keshon Gilbert had 16 points for UNLV, which shot 47.5 percent from the floor and made 11 of 27 from 3-point range.
“Man, they be killing us in practice some days,” Harkless said of the bench which got a combined 21 points from Keyshawn Hall and Luis Rodriguez. “I know they weren’t playing much in the beginning [of the year], so to come in and give us that lift off the bench, that was excellent tonight. On the road, that’s really tough to do.”
It’s hard to get the Rebels at home, but they’ve been great this year at 8-4. On the books, UNLV has covered in four of the last five, even getting three points against CSU.
“We’re just on a roll,” guard Shane Nowell said. “We’re really focused, especially in practice. Coach is really pulling us together and we’re really playing as a collective group right now. It’s really good basketball.”
Fresno State is on the other side of the spectrum at the moment, losing three in a row entering this matchup with UNLV. Since they beat the Rebels 76-63 at home on Jan. 21, Fresno State has lost three in a row with the most recent coming in Laramie, losing 85-62 to Wyoming.
The Bulldogs shot just 38 percent from the floor and went only 7 of 25 from 3-point range. You don’t normally play well in that kind of altitude unless you’re acclimated to it, but that was the kind of performance that defines this 7-14 campaign for the Bulldogs: Just plain bad. They dropped to 2-7 away from home this year.
Fresno State has dropped six of seven and has failed to cover in five of the last seven, while they’ve been underdogs in the last four games. Expect the Bulldogs to once again be on the mend of getting points. For context, they were getting three against UNLV in the first meeting. I’m guessing the same will be had this time around, if not more.
Prediction
The road team has covered in eight of the last nine meetings, while the underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last seven. It makes sense, but the way UNLV is playing right now, I’d expect a more comfortable win at the T&M. UNLV 82, Fresno State 68
Betting trends
Fresno State is 40-21 ATS as a road underdog of 10 points or more since 1997.
Fresno State is 1-5 ATS off an over this season.
Fresno State is 3-10 ATS after playing as an underdog this season.
UNLV is 23-26 ATS against conference opponents the last 3 seasons.
UNLV is 11-5 ATS revenging a road loss the last 3 seasons.
Projected starting lineup
Fresno State:
PG: Isaiah Hill
SG: Jemari Baker Jr.
SF: Leo Colimerio
PF: Anthony Holland
C: Eduardo Andre
UNLV:
PG: E.J. Harkless
SG: Justin Webster
SF: Keshon Gilbert
PF: Elijah Parquet
C: Victor Iwuakor
Injury report
Fresno State: Joseph Hunter (thumb, out)
UNLV: Jordan McCabe (back, questionable), Jackie Johnson III (undisclosed, questionable)
Fresno State: Joseph Hunter (thumb, out)
UNLV: Jordan McCabe (back, questionable), Jackie Johnson III (undisclosed, questionable)
Statistical leaders
Fresno State:
Points: Isaih Moore -- 11.9
Rebounds: Isiah Moore -- 7.7
Assists: Isaiah Hill -- 3.7
UNLV:
Points: E.J. Harkless -- 17.0
Rebounds: Luis Rodriguez -- 5.8
Assists: Keshon Gilbert -- 3.6
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Fresno State Bulldogs - UNLV Runnin' Rebels prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily college basketball projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
