Colorado vs. Washington State Odds
| Colorado Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 131 -110o / -110u | +180 |
| Washington State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 131 -110o / -110u | -220 |
Colorado finishes up its three-game road trip to the Pacific Northwest Friday night when it travels to Washington State.
The program sits at 13-7 on the season and 5-5 in conference after a two-point loss to Washington. Colorado started out its road trip with an 82-78 victory over Oregon, which avoided a three-game losing streak for the first time in two years.
Tad Boyle’s program has suffered five of its seven losses to top-25 competition this season.
Washington State is looking to avenge its 83-78 loss at Colorado to open the New Year. It was the Cougars' first game back after a 15-day layoff. Wazzu is 4-3 in Pac-12 play with all four of its victories coming against the bottom of the conference.
These two teams have been hitting unders at an insane pace recently. With that baked into the number, it will help provide value in one of the sides in this matchup.
Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado games have gone under the total in 10 of the last 13 games. Much of that is due to the defensive intensity that Tad Boyle’s squad plays with. The group ranks in the top 50 in Defensive Efficiency and forces opponents to use most of the shot clock before getting a clean look.
Colorado allows just 66 points per game and has held some of the top programs in check. UCLA, Tennessee, Arizona, and USC all scored well below their season averages against the Colorado defense.
The offense is led by sophomore forward Jabari Walker who puts up 14 points to go with nine boards a game. He has nine double-doubles on the season, which leads the conference. Walker dominated Oregon by scoring 24 points while hitting nine-of-11 from the field to go with 11 rebounds.
He's complemented in the frontcourt by six-foot-eight, 260-pound forward Evan Battey. Battey is a bully in the paint and scored 20 points on just eight shot attempts against Washington State in the first meeting.
Colorado leans on its frontcourt for offensive production as they take 69% of the shot attempts from inside the arc. They go to the charity stripe over 20 times a game, which is top-30 in the country.
Washington State Cougars
Washington State has leaned on its backcourt to find most of its offensive production. The three players who average double figures in scoring are all guards.
Michael Flowers leads the team in scoring by putting up 13 points a game. But he’s been struggling recently, averaging just nine points and shooting 24% from the field over the last six games. Flowers does most of his damage from outside the perimeter where he has connected on 36% of his 3-point attempts. During these six games he has hit just 11-of-40 (27%).
Noah Williams and Tyrell Roberts are the other two guards who average over 10 points per game. However, neither is very efficient scoring the basketball, each shooting below 36% from the field.
The Cougars take 44% of their shot attempts from 3-point territory but connect on just 33%, which ranks outside the top 200 nationally. Over the two-game win streak, they have hit just 14-of-53 (26%) from downtown.
With all those bricks offensively, it has helped lead the Cougars to the 14th Offensive Rebounding Rate in the country. But Colorado proved in the first matchup that it is strong at securing defensive boards..
The Wazzou defense ranks 28th in Defensive Efficiency and is the program's strength. They hold opponents to 46% from the field, which is top 30 in the country. But they’ve struggled with fouling, sending opponents to the free-throw line at the 277th rate in the country.
Colorado vs. Washington State Betting Pick
Colorado has been in tight games all season with 11 of its 20 games being decided by six points or fewer. That was the case the first time these two teams met as the largest lead for either side was only eight points.
Washington State thrives at extending possessions through offensive rebounds. But they can’t do that against Colorado, which is the second-best rebounding defense in the Pac-12. Colorado out-rebounded Wazzu on both ends of the floor the first time these two met.
Each side had a technical foul in that game which was chippy throughout. Colorado relies on getting to the free-throw line, and Washington State sends teams there nearly 20 times a game.
Though these two programs have hit the under 21 of the last 26 games, I’m shying away from it because of the last matchup that featured 161 points and nearly 50 free-throw attempts.
I don’t trust Washington State’s offense, especially while it’s amid an awful shooting stretch.
I’m taking the points and backing Colorado on the road as this game should follow a similar back-and-forth script as the first matchup.
