Colorado State looks to advance after a First Four victory as they face Texas. It is time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Colorado State-Texas prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Colorado State managed to snag one of the last spots in the tournament, grabbing a ten-seed, but a spot in a First Four game. That game was against Virginia and the Rams were dominant. With 9:20 left to go in the first half, Colorado State was up 18-14. With 17:01 left in the second half, they had built the lead to 35-14. That is over ten minutes of gameplay without allowing Virginia to score, as they went on a 17-0 run. From there, Virginia would not be able to make it close. Colorado State would win the game 67-42.
Meanwhile, Texas comes in as the seventh seed in the Mid-West Region. They went 20-17 in the regular season, which would be good enough for the seventh seed in the Big 12 tournament. The run in their final Big 12 tournament would not be a long one though. They faced ten-seeded Kansas State and held a ten-point lead at the half. Kansas State would use a 13-2 run to take the lead, and from there, would hold onto it. Texas would fall 78-74. Playing a team that played in one of the First Four games is not a guaranteed win. Since the start of the First Four in 2011, a First Four team has won a game every year except for 2019.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
March Madness Odds: Colorado State-Texas Odds
Colorado State: +2.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +126
Texas: -2.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -152
Over: 144.5 (-115)
Under: 144.5 (-105)
How to Watch March Madness
Time: 6:50 PM ET/ 3:50 PM PT
TV: TNT
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Colorado State Will Cover The Spread/Win
Colorado State is 30th in the nation in adjusted efficiency this year. They are 40th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, and 30th in adjusted defensive efficiency this year. Colorado State is 116th in the nation in points per game this year, while sitting 52nd in the nation in effective field goal percentage this year. They are also eighth in the nation in assists per game. They are led by Isaiah Stevens who comes in with 16.2 points per game this year. He is also shooting 48.2 percent this year, while also having 6.9 assists per game this year. Meanwhile, Joel Scott comes in with 13.2 points per game, while shooting 56.8 percent from the floor. Nique Clifford rounds out the top scoring options, coming in with 12.3 points per game, while shooting 52.6 percent from the field.
Colorado State is 282nd in the nation in total rebounds this year, but they are 130th in the nation in defensive rebound percentage this year. Clifford is the leader here as well. He comes in with 7.6 rebounds per game this year. Meanwhile, Joel Scott had 6.1 rebounds per game this year. Scott is the better offensive rebounder, coming in with almost two per game.
Colorado State is 63rd in opponent points per game this year. They are also good at holding onto the ball. Colorado State sits 38th in the nation in turnovers per game. Nique Clifford has been solid here for Colorado State. He comes in with 1.4 steals per game and .9 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Isiaha Stevens has 1.2 steals per game this year.
Why Texas Will Cover The Spread/Win
Texas comes in ranked 27th in KenPom adjusted efficiency rankings this year. They are 19th on offense while sitting 62nd on defense. They are 71st in points per game this year while sitting 36th in the nation in assists per game this year. Further, they are 50th in the nation in effective field goal percentage. Max Abmas has led the way in terms of points per game this year. He is averaging 17.1 points per game of the season while shooting 43.2 percent from the field. He is also passing the ball well, with 4.3 assists per game. Joining him in shooting and passing well is Tyrese Hunter. Hunter has 11.1 points per game this year, while also having 4.2 assists per game on the season. Rounding out the top scorers is Dylan Disu, who is averaging 15.8 points per game this year while shooting 49.4 percent from the field this year.
Texas is not a great rebounding team. They are 190th rebounds per game this year, sitting outside the top 100 in both offensive and defensive rebounding rates this year. The major presence on the boards this year is Dillon Mitchell, who comes in with 7.7 rebounds per game on the season. Meanwhile, Dylan Disu comes in with 5.0 rebounds per game, while Brock Cunningham comes in with 3.8 per game this year.
Texas is 95th in the nation in opponent points per game this year. They are 88th in effective field goal percentage against his year. One of the biggest parts of their defense is the blocks. Texas is 39th in the nation in blocks per game this year. Dylan Disu comes in with 1.0 blocks per game, and Kadin Shedrick comes in with 1.2 blocks per game. disu also has 1.2 steals per game as Dillon Mitchell and Max Abmas also add a steal per game.
Final Colorado State-Texas Prediction & Pick
Texas is the better team in this game, but is it not a huge difference? They are better on offense and more efficient. Still, Colorado State has the better defense. Both teams struggle on the boards, and there will not be a major separating factor there. While Texas is solid, the chance of an upset is always present in March. Colorado State has been playing well enough to do that, and their defense showed how dangerous they can be in their first game on the tournament.
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Final Colorado State-Texas Prediction & Pick: Colorado State +2.5 (-102)
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