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The Arizona Wildcats take on the Colorado Buffaloes. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Arizona Colorado prediction and pick. Find how to watch Arizona Colorado.
This is a huge opportunity for the Colorado Buffaloes. They know that if they can beat Arizona, they will take a huge step toward the NCAA Tournament. Colorado is on the middle of the bubble and needs a high-quality win to significantly improve its bubble position. Beating Arizona, a team likely to get a No. 2 or 3 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, would be exactly the kind of win a bubble team needs to vault past a lot of competing teams and get a spot in the bracket on Selection Sunday.
Hosting the game in Boulder at altitude is a big plus for Colorado, but an even bigger reason the Buffs should be optimistic is that Arizona just played a three-overtime game at Utah on Thursday evening. The Wildcats needed 55 scoreboard minutes, not 40, to win that game on the road. Arizona had to extend itself and push itself to the limit to win that game. The Wildcats could be exhausted as they come to Boulder. If Colorado can't take advantage of this scenario, the Buffaloes won't make the NCAA Tournament … because they wouldn't deserve to. This is their chance to capitalize on a highly favorable confluence of factors.
Here are the Arizona-Colorado College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Arizona-Colorado Odds
Arizona Wildcats: +1.5 (-112)
Colorado Buffaloes: -1.5 (-108)
Over: 156.5 (-114)
Under: 156.5 (-106)
How To Watch Arizona vs Colorado
Time: 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Arizona Could Cover the Spread
The Colorado Buffaloes have been inconsistent this season. Colorado was viewed as a team which might be able to challenge for the Pac-12 title, but that has not happened. Colorado blew a 19-point lead and lost to the Cal Golden Bears, one of the less formidable teams in the Pac-12 Conference. The Buffaloes have lost to Utah and Washington State. Their one really good win in Pac-12 play came at home versus Oregon. Arizona defeated Colorado earlier in the season in Tucson. Arizona has shown it is a much better team than Colorado. One should also note that an Arizona team which has struggled on the road has managed to win its last two road games at Oregon and Utah. Arizona might be figuring a few things out under head coach Tommy Lloyd.
Why Colorado Could Cover the Spread
The Buffaloes know this game is probably their whole season. If they win, they probably get in and make the NCAA Tournament. If they lose, they probably won't make the Big Dance and will have a hugely disappointing offseason staring at them. When a team knows that so much of its season comes down to one game, it usually plays inspired basketball. Because Arizona is tired after its triple-overtime game at Utah, Colorado should be able to play this game with more energy, more passion, and more precision for the duration.
Final Arizona-Colorado Prediction & Pick
The Colorado Buffaloes are not a better team than the Arizona Wildcats, but this situation lines up perfectly for them. They need the game more than Arizona does. They are playing at home. They are playing at altitude in Boulder. They are facing an Arizona team which just won a three-overtime game on Thursday. Arizona winning on Thursday probably reduces the Wildcats' hunger. Arizona playing a longer-than-expected game on Thursday will take away the Wildcats' legs in the final 10 minutes. As long as Colorado doesn't get blown out early, it should win in a game which is very close to being a pick 'em. Take Colorado.
Final Arizona-Colorado Prediction & Pick: Colorado -1.5
