The New Mexico Lobos take on the UNLV Rebels in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tip-off is set for 11 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
New Mexico is favored by 5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -205. The total is set at 156.5 points.
Here’s my New Mexico vs. UNLV prediction and college basketball picks for January 27, 2026.
New Mexico vs UNLV Prediction
My Pick: New Mexico -5 or Better
My New Mexico vs UNLV best bet is on the Lobos to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
New Mexico vs. UNLV Odds
| New Mexico Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5 -110 | 156.5 -110o / -110u | -205 |
| UNLV Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5 -110 | 156.5 -110o / -110u | +170 |
- New Mexico vs UNLV spread: New Mexico -5
- New Mexico vs UNLV over/under: 156.5 points
- New Mexico vs UNLV moneyline: New Mexico -205, UNLV +170
New Mexico vs UNLV College Basketball Betting Preview
I project New Mexico as a 6.2-point road favorite over UNLV on Tuesday, so I show some slight value on the Lobos.
I’ve long been a believer in Eric Olen, and he’s settled in nicely in his first year as head coach of the Lobos. The team is 7-2 in Mountain West play with the conference’s best defense.
At the same time, I’m not a believer in Josh Pastner, who has had an up-and-down first season in Las Vegas. Yes, the Rebels are 5-2 in Mountain West play, but I think it’s mainly because of hot shooting. Over their past three wins against Utah State, San Jose State, and Boise State, they shot 25-for-58 from 3 (43%), while those three opponents shot just 16-for-49 (32%).
Ultimately, that leads me to believe these Rebels are overvalued.
Olen’s Lobos are going to attack via his unique ball-screen designs, while I don’t trust UNLV’s ball-screen coverage (.91 PPP allowed, 43rd percentile).
On the other end of the court, the Rebels like to attack in isolation, getting to the rim and drawing fouls. But the Lobos are an elite ISO defense (.71 PPP allowed, 87th percentile), and they boast the MWC’s second-lowest free-throw rate allowed.
The Lobos also tend to pack it in on defense, while the Rebels rank 10th in the conference in 3-point attempt rate. Just because they’ve been hitting them lately doesn’t mean they’re comfortable from out there, but you basically have to beat Olen’s defense over the top.
I like this matchup for New Mexico and agree with my projection. I hope the line drops.
My Pick: New Mexico -5 or Better
