San Diego State vs. UNLV prediction, pick, odds, spread: Mountain West-leading Aztecs face Runnin' Rebels

San Diego State will be looking to get back on track Saturday, when it travels to UNLV for a clash between a pair of the Mountain West's top teams on CBS. The Aztecs (15-5, 7-1) remain alone atop the conference standings after falling at Grand Canyon on Wednesday, but the loss inflicted some damage to the Aztecs' at-large aspirations for the NCAA Tournament.

Beating the Runnin' Rebels (10-8, 5-2) would help get the repair started. UNLV enters on a three-game winning streak that includes a massive 86-76 win over Utah State on Tuesday night. That was a head-turning result in the Mountain West which proved once again just how dangerous UNLV is under first-year coach Josh Pastner.

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David Cobb

While his debut campaign has featured a few bad losses, the Rebels also own victories over Memphis and Stanford. UNLV atones for being one of the nation's worst 3-point shooting teams by relentlessly attacking the basket and shooting 26.6 free throws per game, which ranks No. 13 nationally.

San Diego State counters with its vintage strong defense and a balanced offensive attack. Looming large for SDSU is uncertainty around the status of center Magoon Gwath. The seven-footer missed the Grand Canyon amid a hip issue, and his status will be a key issue for the Aztecs both in this game and beyond.

Where to watch San Diego State vs. UNLV live

Date: Saturday, January 24 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Thomas & Mack Center -- Las Vegas
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App

San Diego State vs. UNLV: Need to know

Inside the arc: If you're a fan of the 3-pointer, this isn't the game for you. UNLV and San Diego State rank 285th and 310th, respectively, in 3-point attempts per game. The Runnin' Rebels make just 31.4% of their attempts and have hit more than 10 in a game just once this season. SDSU makes a highly respectable 36.7% of its 3-pointers but is coming off a 3 for 18 performance from deep in Wednesday's loss at Grand Canyon.

Mountain West menace: UNLV guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn is emerging as one of the Mountain West's most potent scorers. The Illinois transfer finished with 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting in the Runnin' Rebels' 86-76 win at Utah State on Tuesday. That followed a 33-point outburst in a win over Boise State on Jan. 13. Against league foes he is averaging 18.1 points, and he's reached double figures in all but one game this season. Gibbs-Lawhorn has some variety in his arsenal as he inflicts damage as both a spot-up shooter and ball-handler. At just 6-foot-1, he's also been solid at the rim.

San Diego State's resume: San Diego State enters on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble in CBS Sports Bracketology and is expected to stay there even with a win. However, our long-term forecast projects the Aztecs to ultimately make the bracket as a No. 11 seed. For now, SDSU's resume is a bit chaotic and dragged down by a Quad 3 November home loss to Troy. While the Aztecs do own a Quad 1 road win over Nevada from Jan. 6, they'll need to add more in order to finish on the right side of the bubble. The most significant opportunities still ahead are road games against Utah State (Jan. 31) and New Mexico (Feb. 28). 

San Diego State vs. UNLV prediction, picks

San Diego State plays a style of defense designed to tempt you into shooting 3-pointers. That could be a problem for UNLV, which does not take or make many shots from beyond the arc. The Runnin' Rebels prefer to attack, get fouled and shoot free throws. Provided the Aztecs make enough shots of their own and prevent UNLV from running in transition, they should be able to dictate the game's flow on the defensive end. SDSU is also going to be motivated to seek redemption following a deflating 1-point loss at Grand Canyon on Wednesday night that ended its perfect start to Mountain West play. Pick: San Diego State -5.5

	Gary Parrish	Matt Norlander	Kyle Boone	David Cobb	Isaac Trotter	Cameron Salerno
SDSU -5.5	UNLV	San Diego St.	San Diego St.	UNLV	San Diego St.	San Diego St.
STRAIGHT-UP	San Diego St.	San Diego St.	San Diego St.	San Diego St.	San Diego St.	San Diego St.

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