Stanford (3-0) plays UNLV (2-0) in Las Vegas on Friday, November 13, 2026, at 6 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network. It is the Cardinal's first road game of the season. The Rebels have played both games at home. Stanford leads the all-time series 3-2, but UNLV won the most recent meeting by one point at Maples Pavilion on December 7, 2025. That was Stanford's only non-conference loss last season.
The call
The pick is Under 151.5 total points. To win, the two teams must combine for 151 or fewer. A total of 152 or more loses. Because the line ends in .5, a push is not possible.
The line matters here. One listing we found shows the total at 153.5, with Stanford a 1.5-point favorite. At 151.5, this pick has two fewer points of cushion than that listing. Anyone following the pick should confirm the number available to them before tip-off.
The matchup
Stanford's form. The Cardinal have won 91-73 over Rice (Nov 9), 81-63 over Oakland (Nov 6) and 74-65 over Eastern Washington (Nov 2). Those games produced totals of 164, 144 and 139, so two of the three stayed under 151.5. Stanford has scored 82.0 points per game and allowed 67.0, which totals 149.0. Nick Townsend scored 31 against Rice. In one of the three wins, Austin Maurer had 14 points and a career-best 11 rebounds, and Christian Bliss added 12 points and seven rebounds. Three Cardinal players average double figures, and five average at least eight points. The scoring is spread across the roster rather than carried by one player.
Last season, Stanford averaged 76.0 points and allowed 73.0, which totals 149.0. That is close to its current-season figure and 2.5 points below this line.
UNLV's form. The Rebels beat Northern Arizona 89-77 on Nov 3 and Samford 88-79 most recently. Those totals were 166 and 167, both well over 151.5. UNLV has scored 88.5 points per game and allowed 78.0. Sebastian Mack leads the team at 24.0 points per game on 51.5% shooting. Last season, UNLV shot 47.1% from the field and 34.8% from three. Josh Pastner is in his second season as head coach. One source also lists a 90-81 win over Missouri on Oct 29 and shows UNLV at 3-0. That conflicts with the official 2-0 record. The game was likely an exhibition, but we could not confirm it, so we have left it out.
The case for the under. Three things support it:
- Travel. This is Stanford's first road game, and teams often play less efficiently on offense in their first trip away from home. - The opponents are a step up. Both teams have built their scoring against non-power-conference opponents. This is the first game for either side against a comparable opponent. - The revenge angle. Stanford enters looking to reverse a one-point loss. A game with that kind of stakes can tighten up in the half court.
The case against
The current-season numbers lean toward the over, and we state that plainly. UNLV's two games averaged 166.5 total points, 15 more than this line. Combining each team's points scored and allowed this season (82.0 and 67.0 for Stanford, 88.5 and 78.0 for UNLV) suggests a game in the 157 to 160 range, above 151.5.
Mack is scoring 24.0 per game on efficient shooting, and the game is on his home floor. Stanford has already shown it can reach 91 points. If both teams shoot near their early-season levels, 152 or more is a realistic result.
The sample is also very small: five games combined, mostly against weaker opponents. Those numbers could move sharply in either direction. We found no injury or lineup news for either team, so any late absence is unknown. Finally, a close game decided late could add points through fouls and free throws in the final minutes.
This pick can lose, and the early scoring data is the main reason why.
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