Jacob Kupferman / SipaUsa / Icon Sport

Mississippi State Bulldogs vs UNLV Rebels: Both teams have a solid start to the season

The UNLV Rebels and the Mississippi State Bulldogs will face each other at Mullett Arena in Tempe, AZ on Thursday.

Can the Bulldogs stay undefeated?

The Mississippi State Bulldogs are sixth in the SEC Conference with a 5-0 record and are ranked 25th in the nation. They are coming off an 84-79 win over the SMU Mustangs. The Bulldogs are 24th in the nation averaging 87.6 points per game and 31st with 19 assists per game. Josh Hubbard leads the team with 20.2 points per game.

The Rebels are on a good run

The UNLV Rebels are fifth in the Mountain West Conference with a 4-1 record, with all five games being played at home. They have won the last three games and are coming off a 72-65 win over the New Mexico State Aggies. UNLV is 51st in the nation shooting 76.4% from the free throw line and 59th with 38.1% from three-point territory. Dedan Thomas Jr. leads the team averaging 17.8 points per game.

Betting Trends

The Bulldogs are 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games overall and have played under the total point line in 5 of their last 10 games overall. The Rebels are 6-4 SU and 4-5-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall and have played over the total point line in 7 of their last 10 games overall. UNLV won the last head-to-head games 82-66 back in 2013.

Prediction and Conclusion

Both teams have a solid start to the season, and the Bulldogs look like they can make a lot of noise. They are a real potent team on the offense, being in the top 25 teams in the nation in points per game, and have solid percentages in every shooting category. On the flip side, they are not an elite defensive team since teams have high percentages shooting against them. It is a question if the Rebels will be able to take advantage of it. However, UNLV has no chance of stopping the Bulldogs on the defensive end and will need to try to be as aggressive on the offense. Both teams are taking over 20 three-pointers shots per game, so we expect another high-scoring game that will go over 146.5 points in total.