A pair of underachieving Pac-12 squads will meet on the hardwood as the California Golden Bears do battle with the Colorado Buffaloes in Boulder. Join us for our college basketball odds series where our California-Colorado prediction and pick will be unveiled for all to see.

Without a doubt, California has officially hit rock bottom with a 3-18 record overall, but the Golden Bears have at least recorded an 8-13 record ATS and will be looking to improve upon that mark at the very least. The Golden Bears come into this one after being on the wrong side of a 30-point blowout to their rivals at Stanford and have now lost five consecutive contests overall.

As for the Buffaloes, Colorado began the season with a boatload of confidence as they were able to nab a pair of top-25 wins against quality opponents but their play has since gone stale as they have limped down the stretch of late. Fresh off a disheartening road trip to the Oregon schools last weekend, Colorado has gone down in defeat in five of their previous six games and now sit at 12-11 (4-8) overall.

Here are the California-Colorado college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: California-Colorado Odds

California: +14.5 (-102)

Colorado: -14.5 (-120)

Over: 129.5 (-110)

Under: 129.5 (-110)

How To Watch California vs. Colorado

TV: Pac-12 Network

Stream: Pac-12 App

Time: 10:00 ET/7:00 PT

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why California Could Cover The Spread

Believe it or not, but one of the three wins that California had under their belts this season came at home versus Colorado in which the Golden Bears were able to overcome a whopping 21 turnovers by shooting an absurd 58% from the floor. While it will prove to be extremely difficult to shoot with such efficiency again, especially on the road, the Bears cannot afford to be careless and sloppy like they were the first time around which resulted in a vast amount of giveaways.

Outside of there fact that turning the ball over will not be a spread-covering formula, getting off to a quick start will also be needed for Cal to keep this one close. Since the woeful Golden Bears' lungs may be on fire only a few minutes into the first half in large part thanks to the thin air of Boulder, Cal has to make some shots throughout the first five minutes of this ballgame. As a whole, California is only shooting 41% from the floor this season, it may be beneficial if Cal attacks the rim with aggressiveness in order to get some paint points or earn some trips to the charity stripe.

All in all, the outcome of this conference clash could be determined by whether or not the Bears can attack the Buffaloes with a healthy dosage of their leading scorer Lars Thiemann. Soaring at 7'1″, the German center is a matchup nightmare for any team he goes up against. Not only can Thiemann propose a scoring threat, but he is also averaging six rebounds a game and is a force on the glass.

Why Colorado Could Cover The Spread

If there is any game for Colorado to snap out of its losing funk and start heading in the right direction, then this is it.

It is hard to argue that oftentimes CU's worst enemy is themselves, as they are prone to shooting themselves in the foot with unforced turnovers that make head coach Tad Boyle irrate on the bench. In fact, the Buffs are averaging 14.1 giveaways per game which have been one of the main reasons why Colorado has taken a step back competitive-wise this season. Alas, covering a -14.5 point football-like spread will not be an easy task whatsoever, and they will certainly not get the job done if they continue to make lazy passes and commit a slew of offensive fouls.

Nevertheless, Colorado will happen to boast the top player on the floor on both sides as point guard K.J Simpson is quickly establishing himself into a bonafide star in the Pac-12 Conference. Not only is the sophomore guard in the running for top player of the year award in the league, but he possesses an electrifying skill set that cannot be coached. Whether it is driving to the hole for an emphatic dunk, or stepping back for a deep three-pointer, Simpson can truly do it all.

Most importantly, coach Tad Boyle has made it his mission to play solid defense in his 13 seasons at Colorado, and it is often been a recipe for success. Going up against a far below-average offense in Cal, all CU has to do is avoid long shooting droughts on offense that could keep the Bears in the game as it has been the defensive end of the floor where the Buffaloes do most of their damage.

Final California-Colorado Prediction & Pick

The Buffaloes should have enough firepower to overcome some sluggish play of late by putting the Bears out of their misery.

Final California-Colorado Prediction & Pick: Colorado -14.5 (-120)