A couple of in state rivals will square off on Wednesday night when UNLV hosts #21 Nevada in a Mountain West Conference game. The opening tip from the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas is slated for 11:00 PM ET. The current college basketball betting odds at Bookmaker indicates that Nevada is a 2.0-point favorite and there’s a total of 164.0.

This will be the second meeting of the season between these teams. UNLV upset Nevada 86-78 in Reno on 2/7 and did so as a sizable 7.5-point underdog. It also marked a largest margin of defeat for Nevada during their 2017-2018 college basketball campaign. Additionally, that contest barely went under the total of 165.0.

Wolfpack Winning Roll

The Nevada Wolfpack will enter tonight’s contest riding a 5-game win streak, and they’re now an outstanding 25-5 this season. Ironically enough, the Wolfpack’s last loss came against UNLV. Nevada doesn’t beat themselves on a majority of occasions, and that’s further evidenced by them committing 9 turnovers or less in each of their previous 6 games.

Stop the Bleeding

UNLV is presently reeling resulting from its current 3-game losing streak. Despite those recent struggles, the Rebels still own a more than respectable 19-10 record. They’re an identical 4-4 on the road and at home during Mountain West Conference action.

Why Nevada Covers

You can never ignore same season revenge when it applies to a quality college basketball team. Especially if that revenge stems from an upset loss at home against a bitter rival. This is also a Wolfpack team that’s 6-1 straight up this season in conference road games, and they’ll be facing an opponent who hasn’t exactly utilized its home court to their fullest advantage.

Why UNLV Covers

UNLV is desperate for a victory right now that would put an end to an existing slide, and in doing so would catapult them over the benchmark 20-win plateau. They’ll also be facing a nationally ranked opponent at home for just a second time this season. The previous time that occurred was on 12/2/17 against Arizona in a game they lost by a narrow 3-point margin. However, they managed to cover that contest as a 5.0-point underdog.

The Rebels may also be a beneficiary of Nevada possibly being a bit complacent. Nevada has already clinched the Mountain West Conference regular season title, and unless something bizarre occurs, they’ll receive a NCAA Tournament at-large-bid in the worst of scenarios.

With all being considered, you can make far more questionable college basketball picks today than using UNLV as a home underdog.

Ross Benjamin is a top sports analyst and one of the sports industry's most respected handicappers. Follow him on Twitter: @RossBenjamin1 or visit his website at RBWins.com