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The Colorado State Rams take on the New Mexico Lobos. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Colorado State New Mexico prediction and pick.
The New Mexico Lobos have become one of the big stories in college basketball this season. Entering play on December 28, the Lobos are one of only three unbeaten teams left in the sport, the other two being the Purdue Boilermakers and UConn Huskies, the top two ranked teams in the country. Can New Mexico make the magic last? We'll see. Yet, it's clear that coach Richard Pitino is a much better fit for a program just outside the top five power conferences. Minnesota doesn't fit him the way New Mexico does.
You can't say New Mexico has faced a cream-puff schedule, either. The Lobos took on Saint Mary's on the road in Moraga and handled the Gaels. They played Richard Pitino's father, Rick, and Iona, and passed that particular test. They defeated San Francisco away from home, another quality win on the slate. This team has embraced challenges and risen to meet the moment. The people of Albuquerque are once again excited about college basketball again.
Here are the Colorado State-New Mexico College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Colorado State-New Mexico Odds
Colorado State Rams: +6.5 (-118)
New Mexico Lobos: -6.5 (-104)
Over: 151.5 (-114)
Under: 151.5 (-106)
Why Colorado State Could Cover the Spread
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The Rams might have five losses, but they have won at Saint Mary's just as New Mexico did. Isaiah Stevens is a terrifically talented guard and the exact kind of player who can go into “The Pit” and silence and Albuquerque crowd rooting for Los Lobos to win. Colorado State made the NCAA Tournament last season and has guys on the roster who know what it takes to win important games, particularly in the Mountain West Conference. As the league season begins for Colorado State, the Rams know how hugely significant this game is, and they are going to go after New Mexico with all-out energy.
New Mexico is a good team, but one would have to think that the pressure of remaining unbeaten is going to build for this team, and that in a very close game, this group will get tight at some point and lose the winning edge it has established. There is so much national scrutiny being directed toward UNM, and the intensity of that focus is going to cause this team to flinch — not on a prolonged basis, but certainly in an individual game which carries a white-hot spotlight such as this one.
Why New Mexico Could Cover the Spread
The Lobos are unbeaten. That speaks for itself. What is also important to note is that the big win over San Francisco in particular was a very close game. The idea that the Lobos will get nervous late in a close game doesn't really hold water. Let's establish that particular point first of all.
The bigger point to make about this game, however, is that while Colorado State is undeniably talented and dangerous — as shown in its victory over Saint Mary's — the Rams have also faltered on a few occasions this season when they frankly shouldn't have. Losses to Charleston and Northern Colorado, plus a 28-point loss to Colorado (the loss wasn't shocking, but the margin was), have shown that Colorado State will buckle when it takes a punch. So, if New Mexico can get off to a good start, Colorado State might not recover.
Final Colorado State-New Mexico Prediction & Pick
New Mexico probably wins outright, but with this many points being given, CSU is good enough and tough enough to cover the spread. Lobos win by four points.
Final Colorado State-New Mexico Prediction & Pick: Colorado State +6.5
