Air Force vs Nevada Odds, Lines, and Spread
- The Nevada Wolf Pack (5-2) host the Air Force Falcons (2-2) in the Mountain West conference opener for both schools on Friday, Dec. 18 at 10 p.m. ET
- The Wolf Pack is coming off a 79-72 win at San Diego Monday night, while the Falcons were pounded at Drake 81-53 Sunday in their last outing
- Read below for odds, analysis, and our best bet for this matchup
The Nevada Wolf Pack (5-2) tips off its Mountain West slate Friday, Dec. 18 at 10 p.m. ET in Reno against the Air Force Falcons (2-2). The matchup is the opener in a two-game series to be played at Lawlor Events Center over the weekend. The finale will be played Sunday.
The conference is having each team play a 20-game (rather than 18-game) slate this season, with each Mountain West team facing each other twice in order to cut down on travel due to the pandemic.
Nevada is coming off a 79-72 win Monday at San Diego, in which junior guard Desmond Cambridge Jr. scored 27 points and sophomore guard Grant Sherfield put up 25.
Abe Kinrade had 15 points for the Falcons against the Bulldogs in a losing effort. A.J. Walker added 14 and Chris Joyce had 13.. Nevada is the logical favorite in this spot.
Air Force vs Nevada Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | +12.5 (-115) | +700 | O 131.5 (-106) |
| Nevada | -12.5 (-105) | -1100 | U 131.5 (-114) |
Odds taken Dec. 18 at FanDuel
Nevada has gotten off to a nice start in Steve Alford’s second season as the Wolf Pack are currently rated No. 124 by Ken Pom, good for the fifth-best slot in the conference. The program was predicted to finish sixth in the preseason media poll.
Air Force has been inconsistent so far through its first four games, alternating between wins and losses. Head coach Joe Scott is back in the Springs after leaving the Academy following the 2003-04 season to take over at his alma mater, Princeton. An eight-year stint at Denver followed his time in New Jersey. Now, after a four-year hiatus, Scott is back leading the Falcons.
Pack Attack
Cambridge and Sherield have led the way for the Pack through the first seven games in dominating fashion. The backcourt duo combined to score 52 of the team’s 79 points against the Toreros and have been on a tear since the start of the campaign.
They’ve accounted for 44-percent of the team’s total scoring and converted 42-percent of the team’s field goals so far. The combination has been even more prolific over the last two games, putting up 59-percent of Nevada’s points and shooting 48-percent from the field.
Sherfield ➡️ Cambridge
Teamwork makes the dream work 🙌
(via @NevadaHoops)
pic.twitter.com/wfINKDdfZ2— Nevada Sports Net (@NevadaSportsNet) December 15, 2020
If Air Force can somehow shut down one of them, the Falcons may have a shot to pull off the upset. If not, Nevada will likely continue its march toward Mountain West relevancy.
Challenging Mission
The Falcons have a tough row to hoe Friday. They’ve never won at Lawlor and have lost nine straight to the Wolf Pack dating back to 2015. If Air Force is going to execute a successful mission, Joyce may have to go off.
The senior guard from Jacksonville is averaging a team-high 16 points per game and is far and away the squad’s best player
Final: Air Force 59, Lamar 44
Chris Joyce scores 23, Keaton Van Soelen has 15. AFA holds Lamar to 32% shooting.
That's 14 straight wins at Clune Arena for Joe Scott… but the last one came in 2004. pic.twitter.com/z84qbYmdxc— Brent Briggeman (@BrentBriggeman) December 5, 2020
The fact of the matter is Air Force is offensively-challenged. The squad has averaged just under 56 points per game through the first four outings, ranking them 320th out of 328 Division I programs eligible. And the Falcons are rated No. 259 in the Mountain West, above only San Jose State.
Air Force has only finished above .500 once (an 18-14 slate during the 2012-13 season) over the last 12 years. Unless the Falcons solve their offensive woes, this could be 12 of 13.
Freshman Impact
Getting back to Nevada, the Wolf Pack have proven to be more than just Cambridge and Sherfield. Forward Tré Coleman posted career highs in rebounds (six) and assists (five) Monday against San Diego, and his down the stretch was critical. USD was held without a field goal over the final 2:00 – and Coleman was a big reason why. Plus, he went 5-for-6 from the foul line to help ice the game.
Fellow forward DeAndre Henry scored six points and and guard Allen Huseinovic scored five points while draining a 3-pointer. Nevada is getting contributions from aspects of its roster.
One more nugget to consider for handicapping purposes Friday: since joining the Mountain West in 2012-13, Nevada is 6-2 in its conference openers, and has won the past four. I love the Wolf Pack in this spot.
The pick: Nevada -12.5 (-105)
Blair Johnson is a veteran journalist and seasoned sports content creator. He has been writing and producing content as long as he can remember, with such familiar names as CNN, NFL Media and Yahoo. Blair currently lives and works in the greater Los Angeles area.
