Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Boise State and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. After one quarter their offense has really been able to impose its will, dominating UNLV 43-24.
Boise State came into the matchup with some extra motivation after the loss they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
UNLV Rebels @ Boise State Broncos
Current Records: UNLV 9-5, Boise State 11-4
How To Watch
- When: Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 10:30 p.m. ET
- Where: ExtraMile Arena — Boise, Idaho
- TV: Fox Sports 1
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $3.00
What to Know
Boise State is 8-2 against UNLV since February of 2020, and they’ll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. Both will face off in a Mountain West battle at 10:30 p.m. ET at ExtraMile Arena. The Broncos are strutting in with some offensive muscle as they’ve averaged 77.4 points per game this season.
Boise State is probably headed into the match with a chip on their shoulder considering San Diego State just ended the team’s five-game winning streak on Saturday. They opened the new year with a less-than-successful 76-68 loss to the Aztecs. That makes it the first time this season the Broncos have let down their home crowd.
Despite their defeat, Boise State saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Chris Lockett Jr., who earned 16 points, was perhaps the best of all. Lockett Jr. had some trouble finding his footing against Wyoming on Tuesday, so this was a step in the right direction. Tyson Degenhart, on the other hand, was considerably less helpful: he went 0-5 from long range.
Meanwhile, UNLV entered their tilt with San Jose State on Saturday with three consecutive wins but they’ll enter their next game with four. They rang in the new year with a 79-73 win over the Spartans.
UNLV’s success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Dedan Thomas Jr. led the charge by earning 17 points plus six assists and two steals. Thomas Jr.’s performance made up for a slower contest against Air Force on Tuesday. Jaden Henley was another key player, posting 13 points in addition to six assists and five rebounds.
Boise State’s loss ended a six-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 11-4. As for UNLV, they pushed their record up to 9-5 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home.
Tuesday’s matchup is shaping up to be a scrappy game: Boise State has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 38.3 rebounds per game. It’s a different story for UNLV, though, as they’ve been averaging only 33.2. Given Boise State’s sizable advantage in that area, UNLV will need to find a way to close that gap.
As for their next game, Boise State is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by seven points. Against the spread, they have been a house darling this year with a chancy 5-9 ATS record.
Odds
Boise State is a solid 7-point favorite against UNLV, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Broncos as a 7.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 140 points.
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Series History
Boise State has won 8 out of their last 10 games against UNLV.
- Jan 16, 2024 – UNLV 68 vs. Boise State 64
- Mar 09, 2023 – Boise State 87 vs. UNLV 76
- Feb 19, 2023 – Boise State 73 vs. UNLV 69
- Jan 11, 2023 – Boise State 84 vs. UNLV 66
- Feb 26, 2022 – Boise State 86 vs. UNLV 76
- Feb 11, 2022 – Boise State 69 vs. UNLV 63
- Feb 13, 2021 – Boise State 61 vs. UNLV 59
- Feb 11, 2021 – Boise State 78 vs. UNLV 66
- Mar 05, 2020 – Boise State 67 vs. UNLV 61
- Feb 26, 2020 – UNLV 76 vs. Boise State 66
