Wisconsin at UNLV

Betting Odds

Point Spread: UNLV (-3.5)
Game Total Line: (142.5)
(wagering lines available at 5Dimes)

The Wisconsin Badgers, out of the Big 10 make the trip to the desert this Saturday night to play the UNLV Rebels out of the Mountain West in an early season showdown. Tip-off from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada is set for 7 p.m. (ET).

Wisconsin rolled over Prairie View A&M 99-55 in its season opener behind a solid effort from senior forward Jon Leuer and freshman guard Josh Glasser. Leuer led all scorers with 24 points and Glasser made an impressive debut by dumping in 21 points off the bench. The game remained relatively close early on with the Badgers up by just 10 points at the half, but a 21-3 run early in the second half put things away for good. There was no posted line on this game.

The Badgers cruised to an 85-53 victory over North Dakota their next time out with Leuer leading the way again with 22 points and six rebounds. Senior forward Keaton Nankivil scored 17 points and junior guard Jordan Taylor added 10 points and four assists. This game was never close as Wisconsin led by 20 points at the half en route to the 32 point win. There was no posted line on this game as well.

UNLV is also off to a 2-0 start this season. The Rebels pasted UC Riverside 85-41 in their opener last Friday night in a game that was pretty much over by the end of the first half. Junior guard Chase Stanback led the way with a game-high 17 points and sophomore guard Anthony Marshall added 16 points in the 44 point victory. UNLV covered as a 20 ½ point favorite but there was no total line on this game.

The Rebels followed this up with a 92-56 win over SE Louisiana in a game where five players scored in double-figures led by Marshall’s 14 points. UNLV shot 63 percent from the field and went 21 for 31 from the free throw line. There was no posted line on this game.

Wisconsin is 7-3 straight-up in its last 10 games, but it is just 3-5 against the spread in its last eight. The total stayed ‘under’ in five of its last eight games overall.

UNLV is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games and 5-4 ATS in its last nine. The total has gone ‘over’ in four of its last seven games.

The last time these two met was in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament with the Rebels pulling off a 74-68 upset as a six-point underdog. The total went ‘over’ the 125 point line. This time around UNLV needs to find a way to contain Leuer and Nankivil as well as continue to get some solid production from its bench against a much-deeper Wisconsin line-up. The Rebels are a veteran team with five starters back from last season, but still do not have the horses to run with Badgers for two full halves.
Take the Wisconsin +3.5 at Betus.