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The Nevada Wolfpack look to stay hot when they welcome the Liberty Flames on Saturday night in the second round of the NIT.

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Vaughn Weems has been dominant of late for the Wolfpack, and my Liberty vs. Nevada predictions explain why he’s poised to have another big game.

Read on for my college basketball picks for Saturday, March 21.

Liberty vs Nevada prediction

Who will win Liberty vs Nevada?

Nevada: The Wolfpack are 16-2 at home this season, with nine wins in a row following the 14-point victory over Murray State. Liberty’s defense has been nearly non-existent in its last 10 games, and lost four of its last seven games — with all four defeats coming against Quad-3 and Quad-4 opponents. Nevada’s superior size and dominance on the glass will offset Liberty’s ability to score.

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Liberty vs Nevada best bet: Vaughn Weems Over 15.5 points (+100)

Vaughn Weems is primed to have a big game against the Liberty Flames. He’s averaging 16.6 points over his last eight games, and has made seven baskets at the rim in each of his last two.

That will likely be his primary focus against a Liberty team whose starting lineup averages a hair over 6-foot-2 and struggles to rebound.

Weems has four offensive boards in the last two contests, leading to second-chance points and FT attempts.

This is a perfect spot for him to continue to assert himself and get whatever he wants at the rim.

COVERS INTEL:

The Flames have allowed a staggering 118 close-range baskets over their last seven games.

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Liberty vs Nevada same-game parlay

Liberty’s defensive struggles will be exacerbated by the Nevada Wolf Pack’s outside shooting.

The Wolfpack rank 54th in the country in 3-point accuracy, bad news for a Liberty defense allowing opponents to hit better than 38% from deep. Add in Nevada’s height advantage, and it’s a spot where the Flames will fail to cover for the ninth time in 11 games.

Both teams have been clearing their recent totals. The Over is 12-6 in Nevada’s last 18, while the Over has cashed in 10 of 13 for Liberty.

Liberty vs Nevada SGP

Our beyond the arc SGP: The Weems and Price show

Elijah Price pulled down 13 rebounds in the win over Murray State and leads the Wolfpack with 8.4 boards per game.

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This ties into the same narrative I’ve discussed with the interior defense and height issues on the Liberty side. Price hasn’t hit double-digit scoring in four straight games in part because he can’t stay out of foul trouble.

Liberty shoots a lot of outside efforts and doesn’t draw fouls at a high rate. Extra minutes for Price will lead to elevated scoring, and I expect he’ll flirt with a double-double.

Liberty vs Nevada SGP

• Vaughn Weems Over 15.5 points

• Elijah Price Over 11.5 points

• Vaughn Weems Over 5.5 rebounds

• Elijah Price Over 8.5 rebounds

Liberty vs Nevada odds

• Spread: Liberty +7.5 | Nevada -7.5

• Moneyline: Liberty +300 | Nevada -400

• Over/Under: Over 146 | Under 146

Liberty vs Nevada betting trend to know

Liberty has hit the Over in 10 of their last 13 games (+6.70 Units / 47% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Liberty vs. Nevada.

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How to watch Liberty vs Nevada

Liberty vs Nevada key injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — William O’Neill McCurdy Sr., a longtime Nevada pastor, entrepreneur and influential community figure with decades of civic and political ties across the state, has died, his family announced.

McCurdy Sr., the father of Clark County Commissioner William McCurdy II, passed away Friday. His family says he was surrounded by family and loved ones, and was “held high by the thoughts and prayers from all those who cared about him throughout our community.”

Born in 1950, McCurdy Sr. graduated from Valley High School and attended Western Nevada College in Carson City. He served as a pastor in Nevada beginning in 1978.

Although he never held public office, McCurdy Sr. was described as a significant influence in the community and in Nevada politics dating back to Grant Sawyer, with connections spanning governors, senators and judges statewide.

McCurdy Sr. was an entrepreneur and a former constable for the Las Vegas Township. He served on numerous boards and committees, including the Citizens’ Advisory for Regional Transportation, Habitat for Humanity’s board of directors, the Mineral County Economic Advisory Committee, the City of Las Communities Block Grant Advisory Board and as a Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority commissioner.

He was named a Distinguished Nevadan by the Nevada System of Higher Education in 2021 and became an inaugural inductee into Historic Westside Legacy Park in 2022.

McCurdy Sr. was the owner of McCurdy & McCurdy Media Group, a business he and his wife, Billie, built beginning in 1992. The family has been a fixture on the Historic Westside and in Nevada for more than seven decades.

The family described McCurdy Sr. as “a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, pastor, mentor, and friend.”

The McCurdy family also expressed gratitude to the medical staff at University Medical Center, particularly the UMC Critical Care Team, citing their “professionalism, grace, and compassion” during McCurdy’s final days.

The family thanked the community for its thoughts and prayers.