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The Colorado Buffaloes (14-12) visit the Arizona State Sun Devils (18-8) on Thursday night. Action tips off at 8:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a Colorado-Arizona State prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Colorado has won two of their last three games but still sits at 6-9 and tied for seventh place in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes covered 36% of their games while 54% went under the projected point total. Arizona State has won three of their last four games and sits at 9-5 and in fifth place in the Pac-12. The Sun Devils covered 42% of their games while 54% went over. This will be the second meeting of the season between the conference foes. Arizona State pulled out a 60-59 road victory back in early December.
Here are the Colorado-Arizona State college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Colorado-Arizona State Odds
Colorado: +3.5 (-102)
Arizona State: -3.5 (-120)
Over: 138.5 (-110)
Under: 138.5 (-110)
How To Watch Colorado vs. Arizona State
TV: Pac-12 Network
Stream: Pac-12 Live
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Colorado Could Cover The Spread
Colorado has struggled to consistently string wins together all season despite going 8-3 in non-conference play. The Buffaloes picked up early wins over No. 10 Tennessee and Texas A&M but suffered brutal losses to Grambling and UMass. Things took a turn for the worse in Pac-12 play, however, as lost five of six games in mid-January. With that, the Buffaloes still project decently within the advanced rankings. Colorado comes in at No. 59 in KenPom and No. 74 in NET. While they have gone 5-7 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games, four Quad 3 losses in addition to a Quad 4 loss have really hampered their resume. As a result, Colorado does not currently project to make the NCAA Tournament.
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Colorado is a well-rounded team as they rank fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring with 70.9 PPG. Colorado plays fast as they rank second in the conference in pace of play. While the Buffaloes don't crash the offensive glass, they lead the Pac-12 in defensive rebound rate. Defensively, Colorado is incredibly aggressive as they rank second in the conference with 8.0 steals per game.
The Buffaloes are led by a pair of strong scorers in KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva. Simpson leads the team with 16.2 PPG and 3.8 APG in addition to his 1.4 steals per game. da Silva is right behind him, averaging 16.1 PPG and 5.0 RPG. The junior is a lethal outside shooter who averages 1.5 threes per game while shooting 42% from deep.
Why Arizona State Could Cover The Spread
Arizona State got off to a blistering start thanks to going 9-2 in non-conference play. They picked up big wins over VCU, Michigan, and No. 18 Creighton but dropped an overtime game to Texas Southern and got blown out by San Francisco. After starting Pac-12 play 6-1 they dropped four of five games and have struggled to recapture their earlier success. Because of that, they don't fare well within the advanced metrics as the Sun Devils come in at No. 67 in KenPom and No. 69 in NET. While they have gone 6-7 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 matchups, a critical Quad 4 loss has really hindered their resume. With that, Arizona State does not currently project to make the NCAA Tournament, although they are considered one of the “Next Four Out”.
Arizona State boasts a strong offense as they rank third in the Pac-12 in scoring with 71.2 PPG. They are a high-volume three-point shooting team, ranking fourth in the conference with 7.5 threes per game. The Sun Devils play at the third-fastest pace of play in the conference. They do a good job getting to the free throw line with 13.3 free throws per game – third-most in the conference. While their defense is inconsistent, Arizona State does a good job protecting the rim, ranking third in the conference in blocks.
Arizona State has a number of weapons offensively as four players average over 10 points per game. Senior guard Desmond Cambridge Jr. leads the team with 13.7 PPG. The Nevada transfer is a high-volume three-point shooter who averages 2.5 made threes per game.
Sophomore point guard Frankie Collins is the engine behind the Sun Devils' offense as he ranks fifth in the conference with 4.6 APG. He is a solid scorer as well, averaging 11.2 PPG. Additionally, Collins has been lights-out at home this season where he shoots 40% from three.
Senior big man Warren Washington is the X-factor for the Sun Devils tonight. While he doesn't score much he ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage and leads his team with 7.0 RPG. Additionally, the seven-footer ranks third in the conference with 1.9 blocks per game
Final Colorado-Arizona State Prediction & Pick
Arizona State is a much better team than Colorado. Barring a huge night from KJ Simpson, the Sun Devils should roll in what is a must-win game for them.
Final Colorado-Arizona State Prediction & Pick: Arizona State -3.5 (-120)
