A sign of disrespect is that the Mountain West regular season and tournament champion Nevada Wolf Pack were given a No. 12 seed and will face the Big 12 champion Iowa State Cyclones in the first round of the NCAA’s. That’s just fine with the Pack, however, who will be making their first trip to the Big Dance since 2007. And they could be the hottest team entering the tournament with nine consecutive victories while covering the spread in every one of them.
This war on the floor will go down Thursday, March 16, 2017, at 9:57 p.m. ET at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The game will be televised live on truTV. We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Thursday schedule.
Odds at BookMaker.eu
Playing out west, the Wolf Pack went largely unnoticed despite putting a 28-win season together and capturing the MWC’s regular season and tournament title. And they did it with a season-ending run that would make the Dukes and Kentuckys of the world jealous. The Wolf Pack ended the season winning nine straight games while going 9-0 ATS. The knock on the Pack is that they played just one game against a ranked opponent and it was one of their six losses. They were upended 81-63 by Saint Mary’s in the season opener, failing to cover the 11.5-point spread. Still, the Pack was a good bet on the year, ending with a 23-10-1 ATS record.
The Big 12 is considered one of the top conferences in the country and the Cyclones came out on top in the tournament for the third time in four years. It was a good run by Iowa State as they knocked off West Virginia in the title game by scoring 80 points against a tough defensive squad. Offense has been ISU’s bread and butter all season. The Cyclones average 81 points per game and cashed the over in nine straight outings.
Key Stat
Both teams average better than 80 points and love to run the floor, and they’ve been successful in doing that. The Cyclones score nearly 81 per game and rank 13th in offensive efficiency with 120 points per 100 possessions. They’ve scored at least 80 points in eight of their last 10 games and played above the closing total in nine consecutive games.
Nevada is the highest scoring team in the Mountain West and ranks 38th with 80 points per game. Their offensive efficiency rating of 114.5 puts them at 34th in the country. Both teams like to shoot the three-pointer and rank in the top-30 in triples made per game. This game will be one of the better 12/5 matchups and points will be plentiful. The total will be high, but both teams have been good at cashing the over. That will be the case in this one.
Player to Watch
It’s unlikely the Wolf Pack faced a point guard as good as Iowa State’s Monte Morris at any point during the season. Prior to the Big 12 Tournament, Steve Prahm said Morris is the best point guard in the country. The senior lived up to his coach’s high praise, leading ISU to three consecutive wins and the tournament title.
Morris averaged 18 points during the Big 12 Tournament and expertly handled the WVU press in the final as the Cyclones scored 80 points in that game. He was named first-team All-Big 12 and if not for Kansas’ Frank Mason, likely would have earned Player of the Year honors. Morris is fifth in the Big 12 in scoring and second in assists and could have a big game against a Nevada squad that plays offense much better than it does defense.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
The 12/5 matchup is the most fertile for upsets in the tournament and the Wolf Pack are a team to be reckoned with. If the Cyclones take this one lightly, they could have an early exit. And that’s quite possible after running the table in the Big 12 Tournament and knocking off WVU for the title. Nevada has nothing to lose and that makes them a dangerous club.
But Iowa State has a well-rounded club and feels this is the year for a deep run. Morris will go out with a bang and the Wolf Pack will succumb due to a lack of depth. They used just six players in the Mountain West title game and that won’t get it done against the stacked Cyclones. However, the Wolf Pack’s starting five are athletic and can play. They will keep the game close and cover the 5.5-point spread.
College Basketball Odds: Iowa State 84, Nevada 81
BookMaker.eu offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu!
