The No. 7 seed Nevada Wolf Pack look to make some noise in the NCAA Tournament when they face the No. 10 seed Texas Longhorns and opened as 1.5-point favorites to advance for the first time since 2007. The Wolf Pack are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games but had mixed results as a spread pick at 4-5-1 ATS in those games.
- Texas is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games after a loss.
- The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Texas’s last 15 games in March.
- Nevada is 6-2 SU in its last eight games as a favorite.
The Wolf Pack will rely on a bevy of six-foot-seven players and use a shift and motion offense that paced Nevada to 83.1 points per game this season. Caleb Martin is the leading scorer for Nevada at 19.1 points per game and while the Wolf Pack can score with the best of them, the reality is their defense can be exploited. Nevada doesn’t have any seven-footers in its lineup and allowed just under 73 points per game. If bettors are planning to place a wager on Nevada, it’s worth noting that the Wolf Pack are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games in March and 15-1 SU in their last 16 games after a loss.
Texas has all the potential in the world to beat any team in the country with its size and X factor Mohamed Bamba. The seven-footer can disrupt any shot in the paint and ranked second in the nation in blocks per game at 3.7. The Longhorns spread their scoring out mainly among three players now, with guard Andrew Jones ruled out for the year due to illness.
However, the main knock on Texas is it has historically not been reliable in the postseason, at 2-6 SU and 0-7-1 ATS in its last eight games in the NCAA Tournament. When you factor in that Texas is 0-4 ATS in its last four games vs Mountain West teams, it may be best to steer clear of the Longhorns until they show they can be trusted.
The total opened 143.5 and the OVER could be a profitable wager in this matchup. Both of these teams average over 70 points per game and the OVER has hit in three of Nevada’s last four games vs Big 12 opponents.
Texas Longhorns vs Nevada Wolf Pack Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Nevada Wolf Pack are 27-7 so far on the season, and 16-15-3 vs the number. The Texas Longhorns, meanwhile, are 19-14 and 16-14 ATS. OVER/UNDER bettors have seen Nevada go 17-17 and Texas go 13-16-1 on betting totals.
The power rankings show a disparity between these teams, with the Wolf Pack rated this week at No. 23 and the Longhorns sitting at No. 125.
Statistical Matchup
The game also pits Nevada's No. 17-ranked offense, averaging 83.09 PPG, against a Texas defense that ranks No. 58 at 68.21 PPG. The Wolf Pack's field-goal percentage has averaged 46.84% so far, more than the Longhorns marksmen have achieved on the year, 43.8% per game.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Jacob Young scored 29 points for Texas on Thursday, but the Red Raiders managed a 73-69 victory over the Longhorns at Sprint Center.
Jordan Caroline poured in 25 points and added 10 rebounds in a losing cause for Nevada on Friday, as the Aztecs rolled to a 90-73 victory over Nevada at Thomas & Mack Center.
