UTEP at Nevada (-7) - 7:00pm Pacific

The Wolfpack are clearly the WAC's best team.  They are currently only in third place but that is due to a few very tough losses and an unfavorable conference schedule.  Nevada's four conference losses have all come on the road by a combined margin of 9 points.  They have been dominant at home going 10-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play.  They own a convincing 14 point over Kansas here and only one opponent (Louisiana Tech) has even come within 9 points here in Reno.  The Wolfpack play three of their final five games at home and will get shots at both UTEP and Hawaii, the two teams ahead of them in the WAC standings, here at home.

 

UTEP is having a fine season, but they clearly are not nearly as good of a team on the road as they are at home.  The Miners have only played 7 road games all season and just 5 of their 12 conference games on the road thus far.  For some reason the schedule called for them to play a 6 game homestand right in the heart of league play.  In conference play they are 3-2 in road games, but the three wins have come against winless San Jose State, second to last Tulsa in a 3 point nailbiter, and on Thursday in a 3 point nailbiter over a depleted Fresno State team.  When playing the WAC's better teams on the road, UTEP has not been competitive, losing at Hawaii by 22, and at Rice by 16.  The back to back road game situation that they face today following a tough game at Fresno will not help.

 

After a promising start to the season that featured a respectable showing in nationally televised trip to UConn, a road win at instate rival UNLV, and a double digit win over Kansas, the Wolfpack have their sights set solely on an NCAA birth.  Nevada's Kirk Snyder is the most talented player in the conference.  Wolfpack have won 6 of 7 games with only loss coming by 1 point in overtime at SMU.  They have been unreal at home and will be fired up for revenge situation and visit from first place team.

 

Nevada  1 UNIT