2023 Mountain West Tournament: #7 UNLV vs. #2 Boise State–Preview, Odds, Prediction
2023 Mountain West Tournament: #7 UNLV vs. #2 Boise State–Preview, Odds, Prediction
Rebels, Broncos meet in conference quarterfinals
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What: Mountain West Conference Tournament Game 6
Who: #7 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels vs. # 2 Boise State Broncos
When: Thursday, March 9th – 6:00 PT
Where: Thomas & Mack Center; Las Vegas, NV
How To Watch: CBS Sports Network
How To Stream: FuboTV — get a seven-day trial
Odds: Boise State -5 Over/Under 137.5
The Mountain West Conference Tournament will reach its midway point with game 6 of 11 on Thursday night, and it should be must-see TV, with host UNLV taking on Boise State. The Rebels advanced with an overtime win over Air Force on opening day, largely on the back of EJ Harkless and his 35 points. Boise State earned a first round bye as the 2 seed.
UNLV will welcome Keshon Gilbert back for this game, and you can bet he will be ready to go. The playmaking guard was suspended for a minor scuffle in Saturday’s come from behind victory over in-state rival Nevada. He’ll have fresh legs, and provide some much needed scoring support for Harkless. The Rebels also have several streaky shooters, Jordan McCabe, Justin Webster, and Jackie Johnson who all seem to have the green light from anywhere at any time.
This is a huge game for Boise State, who despite knocking off league champ San Diego State last week, seem to be hanging around near the bubble according to most bracketologists. A loss here would leave them sweating out selection Sunday, something no one enjoys. They followed up that huge win by dropping the regular season finale in Logan to Utah State. The Broncos did not have their legs in that one, and never really were in the game. With almost a full week to rest, they should be in top form for tip off here. They also possess an incredibly balanced lineup, with multiple guys capable of going for 20 on a given night. Max Rice has had a great season, Tyson Degenhart is as consistent as they come, and of course they have the closer – Marcus Shaver, who has knocked down countless big shots over the course of his career.
Boise State swept the two meetings between these two, winning easily in Vegas, before eking out a win at home a few weeks back. While there was not much of a crowd during Wednesday afternoon’s game, expect a bit more of an atmosphere as this is the front half of a doubleheader that will feature New Mexico-Utah State in game two. This game could feature a series of big runs, with the Rebels capable of dropping 3’s in bunches, and the Broncos skilled at locking down an opponent and forcing long scoring droughts. Ultimately, Boise State’s defense will be the difference, and the call is for them to advance to Friday night’s second semifinal.
Prediction: Boise State 71 UNLV 63
