San Diego State vs. UNLV Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Tuesday, March 5 (Aztecs to Win)

San Diego State has been the class of the Mountain West for some time, but is a new challenger emerging?

UNLV has shined this season in Mountain West play, 11-5 under third-year coach Kevin Kruger who has revitalized the Rebels program with a strong defense and talented freshman Dedan Thomas. Can the team slay the dragon that is San Diego State, who is also 11-5 in conference play behind star big man Jaedon LeDee?

Here's our full betting preview for Tuesday's late night showdown:

New FanDuel users! Sign up below for FanDuel Sportsbook and get $150 in bonus bets when you win your first bet of just $5! Get started below.

San Diego State vs. UNLV Odds, Spread and Total

UNLV vs. San Diego State Betting Trends

• San Diego State is 12-15 against the spread (ATS) this season against Division 1 competition
• UNLV is 18-9 ATS this season
• UNLV has covered in eight of the last 10 games
• San Diego State is 4-9 ATS on the road

San Diego State vs. UNLV How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, March 5th
• Game Time: 11:00 PM EST
• Venue: Thomas & Mack Center
• How to Watch (TV): CBS Sports Network
• San Diego State Record: 22-7
• UNLV Record: 18-10

San Diego State vs. UNLV Key Players to Watch

San Diego State

Jaedon LeDee: One of the most impactful players in the country, LeDee has the Aztecs thinking about another deep run come March with his ability to shut down the interior for opponents on defense and score from inside the arc at a high clip.

UNLV

Kalib Boone: If the Rebels hope to slow down LeDee, it'll be done behind Boone's excellent defense. One of the best rim protectors in the conference, Boone has at least two blocks in three of the last four, all wins.

San Diego State vs. UNLV Prediction and Pick

This is a matchup of two elite defenses, one surprising one in UNLV and the class of the Mountain West in the Aztecs.

The Rebels have used its talented defense to become a Mountain West slayer of sorts, notching wins over the likes of New Mexico (twice), Colorado State, and Boise State already in league play. However, the team couldn't slow down LeDee in the first meeting back on January 6th as the big man poured in 20 points nad 11 rebounds at home.

With the setting switching to Las Vegas, can the Rebels pull off the win?

I'm not so sure given San Diego State's ability to clean the glass and get to the rim. UNLV's defense, for all its talent, fouls at an above-average rate and is in the bottom half of the conference in terms of defensive rebounding rate.

The team won't get many paths to success on offense against the Aztecs' defense that turns MWC foes over at a higher rate than any team in the league and is tops in effective field goal percentage.

While the Rebels are a threat to any Mountain West team, I don't like the setup for this matchup as the hosts are at its highest market rating, winners of nine of 10 and now face the highest-rated Mountain West team who has had a week off to prepare for this one.

I'll take the small road favorite.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Track Reed's bets here!