The Washington Huskies (11-8) visit the Colorado Buffaloes (11-8) on Thursday night. Action tips off at 9:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a Washington-Colorado prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Washington has won two consecutive games following a five-game skid and sits at 3-5 and tied for eighth place in the Pac-12. The Huskies covered 50% of their games while 61% went over the projected point total. Colorado has lost back-to-back games to USC and UCLA and sits at 3-5 and tied for eighth place in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes covered 42% of their games while 53% went under. This will be the second meeting of the season between the two teams. Washington pulled out a 73-63 home victory in early December.
Here are the Washington-Colorado college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Washington-Colorado Odds
Washington: +9.5 (-115)
Colorado: -9.5 (-105)
Over: 141.5 (-115)
Under: 141.5 (-105)
How To Watch Washington vs. Colorado
TV: ESPNU
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Washington Could Cover The Spread
Despite a tough stretch in late December, the Huskies have bounced back to win back-to-back games over Stanford and California. They have a great chance to cover tonight as heavy underdogs against a team they beat by double-digits in early December. That being said, the advanced metrics do not favor the Huskies. Washington sits at No. 105 in KenPom and No. 129 in NET. That is largely thanks to a 2-6 record in Quad 1 and 2 matchups in addition to a Quad 4 loss. Thus, the Huskies do not project to make the NCAA Tournament.
Washington features a solid defense despite ranking 138th in points allowed (68.6 Opp. PPG). They hold opponents to the 28th-lowest three-point percentage (29.5%) and generate steals at a respectable 123rd rate (8.8%). The Huskies' biggest strength on defense comes around the rim as they rank fourth nationally in blocks (6.2 BPG) and seventh in block rate (10%).
Offensively, Washington is led by senior forward Keion Brooks. The Kentucky transfer has thrived in an expanded role with the Huskies. Brooks is the third-leading scorer in the Pac-12 as he averages 16.9 PPG. While he isn't much of an outside shooter, Brooks does an excellent job drawing fouls. He averages 5.6 free throw attempts per game and hits them at a solid 79% rate. Additionally, Brooks ranks fifth in the conference in rebounding with 7.3 RPG. He is coming off one of his best performances of the season when he scored 26 points and pulled down 10 rebounds against Cal.
If there is an X-factor for the Huskies, it must be center Braxton Meah. The 7'1″ junior averages 9.5 PPG and leads the Pac-12 with a 68% shooting percentage. Additionally, Meah ranks fourth in the conference in blocks with 1.9 BPG. Meah was the catalyst in their earlier win over Colorado when he led all scorers with 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
Why Colorado Could Cover The Spread
Colorado finds itself reeling following two straight losses to Los Angeles-based teams but remains in a solid position to cover tonight thanks to their stellar 8-1 home record. The Buffaloes are regarded solidly by the advanced metrics as they sit at No. 46 in KenPom and No. 62 in NET. Their favorable rating is in part because of a respectable 3-5 record in Quad 1 and 2 matchups. Despite that, the Buffaloes currently do not project to make the NCAA Tournament.
Colorado is a strong defensive team. Despite ranking 94th in points allowed (66.77 Opp. PPG), they come in at 18th in KenPom's defensive efficiency rating. They hold opponents to the 54th-lowest shooting percentage (41%) and average the 49th-most steals per game (8.0 SPG). Offensively, the Buffalos feature an average unit that ranks 108th in scoring (73 PPG).
The Buffalos are led by sophomore guard KJ Simpson. After playing sparingly as a freshman, Simpson has exploded as a full-time starter. He ranks second in the Pac-12 in scoring with 17.8 PPG and has failed to score double-digit points in just one game this season. Simpson is more than just a scorer as he leads the team with 3.8 APG and chips in 4.4 RPG.
Outside of Simpson, only forward Tristan Da Silva averages double-digit points. The 6'9″ junior averages 14.7 PPG while shooting an efficient 52% from the floor. He is a capable outside shooter who averages over a three per game on 37% shooting. In addition, he leads Colorado with 1.4 steals per game. Having blocked multiple shots in each of his last five games, look for Meah to have a huge impact on tonight's outcome.
Final Washington-Colorado Prediction & Pick
Despite Colorado's recent struggles, I like them to avenge their earlier loss against a Washington team that was just taken to overtime by last-place California.
Final Washington-Colorado Prediction & Pick:
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