A late-night Mountain West showdown is on tap for this Tuesday as the Colorado State Rams will tip off with the San Jose State Spartans. It is time to check out our college basketball odds series where our Colorado State-San Jose State prediction and pick will be revealed.
Coming into this tilt with a gritty 84-71 win over arch-rivals Wyoming, the Rams now possess a 13-16 record and will need to win the Mountain West tournament taking place in a couple of weeks if they want to return to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.
Finding themselves smack dab in the middle of the conference standings up to this point, the Spartans are 17-12 including an 8-8 mark in Mountain West play, and will certainly need a good amount of help in order to reach the postseason. Nevertheless, San Jose State is fresh off of a 74-68 dismantling of Boise State in an attempt to get hot before the conference tournament begins.
Here are the Colorado State-San Jose State college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Colorado State-San Jose State Odds
Colorado State: +2.5 (-110)
San Jose State: -2.5 (-110)
Over: 136.5 (-110)
Under: 136.5 (-110)
How To Watch Colorado State vs. San Jose State
TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: CBS Sports App
Time: 11:00 ET/8:00 PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Colorado State Could Cover The Spread
Injuries, unfortunate play, and even some bad luck has prevented the Colorado State Rams from undergoing the same success that was experienced a year ago, but this is still a battle-tested squad that boasts a good amount of experience from last year's crew.
The motor of this team happens to come in the form of playmaking guard Isaiah Stevens. Scoring double-digit points in every game he has played this season, Stevens has an NBA skillset that often propels him above his competition. Not only that, but the senior guard is shooting 40% from deep and is even displaying more unselfish play this season with a career-high 6.7 assists per game. Without a doubt, Stevens may be the best player on the hardwood on either side and it would not be a shocking revelation to see him go into takeover mode with the outcome of the game hanging in the balance.
However, there is a reason why CSU has found itself third-to-last in the Mountain West standings, and that has been because of their inability to defend consistently enough. On paper, the Rams give up 71 PPG as opposing teams also have shot 37% as a whole from beyond the arc. Without a doubt, this has to change if CSU wants any shot of covering the spread, especially since they will be the visiting team in this one and have only gone 4-7 on the road up to this point.
Why San Jose State Could Cover The Spread
Whether it is racking up points from within the block or sending shots back on defense in the block department, the Spartans oftentimes stand strong whenever the opposition tries to attack or even defend the rim. With that being said, San Jose State's first order of business will need to gain the edge down low in every way possible. On paper, the Spartans possess a considerable length advantage as they are backed by seven-foot center Ibrahima Diallo and other towering playmakers that can make life difficult when closing out on opposing teams' shot attempts.
Clearly, this does not bode well for a rams squad that prefers to run their offense from the perimeter. As long as the Spartans hold the Rams in check from beyond the arc and don't allow second-chance opportunities off of missed shots, then their chances of them covering should only skyrocket.
Even though CSU may boast the top-overall player on the court in Stevens, San Jose State has plenty of weapons of their own. Alas, be on the lookout for guys like guard Omari Moore to establish his presence from the get-go. Not only is Moore SJSU's leading scorer with 17.1 points per game, but he also dropped a whopping 29 points the last time out against the Rams resulting in a 78-70 win for the Spartans back on New Year's Eve.
Besides the fact that the Spartans shoot a conference-low 67% from the free-throw line, San Jose State needs to remain aggressive with their offensive possessions and not fall into the habit of settling for jump shots.
Final Colorado State-San Jose State Prediction & Pick
Both teams have underperformed this year, but this game certainly means a lot to each side. Nevertheless, side with the Spartans and their home-court advantage to send the Rams packing in a hurry back to Fort Collins.
Final Colorado State-San Jose State Prediction & Pick: San Jose State -2.5 (-110)
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