Colorado is off to an impressive 7-2 start and will now host Northern Colorado on Friday night, looking to make it six straight victories over their in-state rival.
The Buffaloes have won two straight after losing to in-state rival Colorado State. Meanwhile, the Bears hope to get back on track in the college basketball odds after suffering a 101-99 home loss to Texas A&M Commerce.
Join me as I take a closer look at this matchup in my college basketball picks and predictions for Northern Colorado vs. Colorado on Friday, December 15.
Northern Colorado vs Colorado best odds
Northern Colorado vs Colorado picks and predictions
Colorado enters this home-court matchup playing pretty good basketball, last coming off a strong 90-63 neutral-court victory over Miami.
The Buffaloes scored 90 points in that matchup and turned 20 Hurricanes turnovers into 25 points. Creating chaos plays a significant role in the Buffaloes offense.
Employing a mid-court trapping strategy, Colorado averages 7.2 steals and swiftly transitions that to buckets on the opposite end of the floor. This dynamic style of play contributes significantly to Colorado's impressive 58.6% effective field goal percentage.
The Buffs can also shoot the rock from downtown, draining nearly 41% of their attempts from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, Northern Colorado also averages a high amount of swipes (7.1) and scores an average of 16.5 points from turnovers. However, the Bears are not nearly as efficient from the field (42.8 FG%), and they also have a bad habit of replying on the triple for 35% of their scoring.
Both programs feature terrific defense rebounders with strong transition games. These teams “snag and run” better than most, so expect a fast-paced, defense-optional game on Friday.
The combination of steals and transition points will be the blueprint for this handicap, and 152.5 points simply isn’t enough.
My best bet: Over 152.5 (-115 at FanDuel)
Northern Colorado vs Colorado same-game parlay
Over 152.5
Northern Colorado +22.5
The reality for Northern Colorado is that the Bears must make their triples. They launched 27 triples in their away loss to Texas A&M Commerce and made 37% of them.
The Buffaloes don’t defend the arc well at all, and I believe if the Bears can get their 16 points from turnovers and convert at 33% or better from downtown, they can cover the spread.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Northern Colorado vs Colorado spread and Over/Under analysis
FanDuel initially set Colorado as a -22.5 (-110) favorite but has since adjusted the vig to -120 without altering the spread.
The strategic vig adjustments have given me reservations about taking a position on the spread as my best bet. However, I find the alternative of +22.5 (-102) for the Same-Game Parlay appealing, especially when paired with my best bet of Over 152.5 — a total that I expect to close at 155 by tip-off.
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Northern Colorado vs Colorado betting trend to know
Northern Colorado has hit the game total Over in 18 of its last 29 games (+5.90 Units / 18% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Northern Colorado vs. Colorado.
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Northern Colorado vs Colorado game info
| Location: | CU Events Center, Boulder, CO |
| Date: | Friday, December 15, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FloSports |
Northern Colorado vs Colorado key injuries
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