Halftime Report

Only one more half stands between Western Kentucky and the win they were favored to collect coming into this afternoon. They have jumped out to a quick 42-34 lead against N. Mex. State.

If Western Kentucky keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 13-8 in no time. On the other hand, N. Mex. State will have to make due with an 11-10 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

N. Mex. State Aggies @ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Current Records: N. Mex. State 11-9, Western Kentucky 12-8

How To Watch

What to Know

We've got another exciting Conference USA matchup on schedule as the N. Mex. State Aggies and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are set to tip at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at E.A. Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers are favored, but seeing as the odds didn't stop the Aggies in their last game, maybe the team has another upset up their sleeve.

N. Mex. State is headed into this one after the oddsmakers set last week's over/under low at 141.5, but even that wound up being too high. They managed a 61-57 win over Middle Tennessee on Thursday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Aggies as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.

N. Mex. State can attribute much of their success to Peter Filipovity, who almost dropped a double-double on 12 points and nine rebounds, and Robert Carpenter, who posted 16 points along with seven rebounds and two blocks.

Meanwhile, Western Kentucky didn't have too much breathing room in their game against UTEP on Thursday, but they still walked away with a 78-74 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Hilltoppers.

Among those leading the charge was Khristian Lander, who went 11 for 15 en route to 28 points. What's more, he also posted a 73.3% field goal percentage, which is the highest he's posted since back in November of 2023. Another player making a difference was Don McHenry, who scored 20 points.

N. Mex. State's victory bumped their record up to 11-9. As for Western Kentucky, their win bumped their record up to 12-8.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: N. Mex. State has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 38 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Western Kentucky struggles in that department as they've been averaging 37.9. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Western Kentucky and N. Mex. State pleased both fans and bettors in their last matches by winning and covering the spread. Looking ahead, Western Kentucky is expected to win a tight contest, barring any buzzer beaters. For those looking to play the spread, keep N. Mex. State's opponent in mind: they have a subpar 0-3 record against the spread vs Western Kentucky over their last three matchups.

Odds

Western Kentucky is a slight 2.5-point favorite against N. Mex. State, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Hilltoppers as a 3.5-point favorite.


The over/under is 141.5 points.

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Series History

Western Kentucky has won 2 out of their last 3 games against N. Mex. State.

  • Mar 14, 2024 - Western Kentucky 89 vs. N. Mex. State 69
  • Feb 17, 2024 - Western Kentucky 72 vs. N. Mex. State 58
  • Jan 18, 2024 - N. Mex. State 72 vs. Western Kentucky 70