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The No. 12 New Mexico State Aggies (26-6) are looking to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament when they face off against the No. 5 UConn Huskies (23-9) on Thursday. This 5-12 matchup in the West Region bracket begins at 6:50 PM. Keep reading to find betting insights and statistics to help place a wager on the Huskies’ ( to win on the moneyline) contest against the Aggies ().
UConn vs New Mexico State Betting Analysis
When Connecticut is on offense, the ball will be in the hands of Howard transfer and ball-dominant scoring point guard RJ Cole. Cole is the facilitator of this Husky offense, and whether he’s feeding 2-guard Tyrese Martin for an open shot, or finding Sanogo open under the basket, UCONN’s fate in the NCAA Tournament most definitely lies in the hands of their senior leader.
In order for this Husky offense to continue playing at such a high level, they must continue to hit the glass as hard as they have been all season. Uconn’s fourth-ranked rebounding numbers, more than 40 per game, will be the key to success.
For New Mexico State, who won the WAC, to have a chance at winning an NCAA Tournament game, they also must rely heavily on their rebounding ability. Despite their lackluster offensive numbers, the Aggies were able to win over 25 games this season due to its ability to control the glass (No. 10 defensive rebounding rate). However, New Mexico State has yet to play another team who can outrebound them. The Aggies are matched up with a team who can significantly diminish their rebounding ability on both sides of the ball.
Given Uconn’s ability to weaken New Mexico State’s biggest strength, the Huskies could win by double digits, thus indicating that Uconn has value as a 7.5 point favorite.
UConn Offense Vs. New Mexico State Defense
| UConn Offense | Stats (Rank) | New Mexico State Defense |
|---|---|---|
| 75.2 (67) | Points/Gm | 65.0 (49) |
| 67.3 (211) | Possessions/Game | 70.0 (238) |
| 43.6 (208) | Field Goal % | 39.0 (17) |
| 35.4 (83) | 3PT % | 30.9 (44) |
| 49.6 (221) | Effective FG % | 45.7 (26) |
| 53.8 (176) | True Shooting % | 48.3 (16) |
New Mexico State Offense Vs. UConn Defense
| New Mexico State Offense | Stats (Rank) | UConn Defense |
|---|---|---|
| 73.3 (112) | Points/Gm | 65.2 (58) |
| 67.4 (206) | Possessions/Game | 67.9 (131) |
| 45.7 (84) | Field Goal % | 40.2 (34) |
| 32.7 (241) | 3PT % | 34.9 (261) |
| 52.6 (79) | Effective FG % | 45.9 (27) |
| 55.9 (82) | True Shooting % | 49.1 (25) |
UConn Betting Insights
- UConn is 14-17-1 ATS this season.
- When playing as at least 6.5-point favorites this season, the Huskies have an ATS record of 9-9.
- UConn’s games have gone over the point total 18 out of 33 times this season.
- UConn’s 33 games this season have gone over this contest’s total of 132.5 points 22 times.
- Huskies contests this year have an average point total of 137.8, 5.3 more points than this matchup’s over/under.
New Mexico State Betting Insights
- New Mexico State has compiled a 17-12-0 record against the spread this year.
- The Aggies have been an underdog by 6.5 points or more once this season, and covered the spread.
- In New Mexico State’s 29 chances this year, the combined scoring has gone over the point total 16 times.
- New Mexico State has played 17 games this season that finished with a point total over 132.5 points.
- The average over/under for Aggies outings this season is 138.3, 5.8 more points than this game’s point total.
UConn Key Players
- R.J. Cole leads the Huskies in scoring (15.7 points per game) and assists (4.1 assists per game).
- UConn’s rebounding leader is Adama Sanogo, who pulls down 8.9 per game.
- The Huskies are led by Cole from beyond the arc. He knocks down 1.8 shots from deep per game.
- Andre Jackson leads the team with 1.2 steals per game. Isaiah Whaley collects 2.2 blocks a contest to pace UConn.
New Mexico State Key Players
- Teddy Allen is at the top of the Aggies scoring and rebounding leaderboards with 19.3 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game this season.
- Jabari Rice holds the title of New Mexico State assist leader, dishing out 3.3 assists per game this season.
- Allen makes more threes per game than any other member of the Aggies, averaging 2.2 treys per game.
- Allen tops New Mexico State in steals with 1.2 per game, and Johnny McCants leads the squad in blocks with 1.8 per game.