#20 UNLV vs New Mexico: Prediction & Fan Poll

NEW MEXICO (15-3, 1-1 MWC) AT NO. 20 UNLV (17-3, 1-1 MWC)

Time/TV: 10:15 p.m./The Mtn.

Location: Thomas & Mack Center

RPI Ratings:

New Mexico 60 (No. 4 MWC)

UNLV 7 (No. 1 MWC)

Line: UNLV -7.5 (Total 152)

New Mexico Players to Watch: F Drew Gordon, 6-9 Sr. (12.4 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 50% FG); G Tony Snell, 6-7 So. (13.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2 apg); G Phillip McDonald, 6-5 Sr. (6.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 46.3% FG). McDonald had a team-high 20 points in New Mexico’s 75-70 loss to San Diego State on Thursday. He is 26^th all-time in scoring at UNM with 1,060 points. McDonald is 12^th in the nation at 51.9 percent from behind the 3-point line.

UNLV Players to Watch: F Mike Moser, 6-8 So. (13.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.5 apg); G Anthony Marshall, 6-3 Jr. (12.3 ppg, 4.9 apg, 4.5 rpg); F Chace Stanback, 6-8 So. (14.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 45.9% 3s). Marshall is coming off of a career-high 27 points and also had nine assists and three blocks in the Rebels’ 101-78 win over TCU. Marshall has scored 53 points in UNLV’s last two games.

Storylines: Both teams are 1-1 in the Mountain West after losses to San Diego State last week. UNLV rebounded from its loss to the Aztecs with a 101-78 victory over TCU. The Lobos, who had won 13 straight after a 2-2 start, fell to the Aztecs at home, 75-70 on Wednesday.

Keys: UNLV has one of the most impressive stat lines in the country. The Rebels are ninth in the nation in scoring (81.6), fourth in assists (18.8), 15^th in assist-to-turnover ratio (18.8-13.7), 17^th in rebounds per game (42.4) and are plus-4.9 on the boards per contest. The Rebels are also 26^th in blocks per game (5.4), 29^th in field goal percentage (47.9) and 32^nd in steals per game at 8.6 per contest. New Mexico has also put up some strong numbers. The Lobos are 11^th in assists per game (17.2), 13^th in 3-point percentage (40.3), and 27^th in assist-to-turnover ratio (17.2-13.7). They have been a slightly better rebounding team than UNLV, averaging 42.7 per game, which is plus-7.5 for the season. UNLV broke the century mark with its win over TCU for the first time in 11 years. Gordon scored a combined 52 points and grabbed 27 rebounds in two regular-season games against the Rebels last season. With a win, UNLV would be 18-3, which would be its best start since going 26-2 in 1991-92.

UNLV is 10-0 at the Thomas & Mack Center, winning by an average of over 22 points per game.

The Bottom Line: Both teams appear to be NCAA-bound, but UNLV is the slightly better team. Throw in the home-court advantage and it should be a sound victory.

The Pick: UNLV 85, New Mexico 76