The No. 2 Arizona Wildcats (25-2, 15-1 Pac-12) and Colorado Buffaloes (18-10, 10-8) clash Saturday in Boulder, Colo. The tussle at the CU Events Center is slated to tip off at 8 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Arizona vs. Colorado odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Arizona beat Colorado 76-55 in Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 13. UA outshot CU by a wide margin in that contest, and the Wildcats also controlled the boards with a 41-31 advantage. And that’s Arizona in a nutshell this season: a significant shooting edge at both ends, especially inside the arc, and a strong rebounding game.
The Buffaloes were struggling on offense when they met Arizona the first time around. From Jan. 13-Feb. 3, Colorado averaged just 60.9 points per game on a 38.2% mark from the field. Since Feb. 3, the Buffs have averaged 77.0 PPG while shooting 48.7%. CU is 5-1 over that span.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Arizona at Colorado odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:15 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Arizona -550 (bet $550 to win $100) | Colorado +400 (bet $100 to win $400)
- Against the spread (ATS): Arizona -9.5 (-115) | Colorado +9.5 (-107)
- Over/Under (O/U): 150.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
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Arizona at Colorado odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Arizona 82, Colorado 72
There’s little value risking five-and-a-half times your return on Arizona today. PASS.
Against the spread
The Wildcats have looked sharp in recent road games that fit as decent comps for this contest in Boulder. They are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a winning home record. The Buffaloes are 0-4 ATS in their last four games as a home underdog.
Arizona is 4-0 ATS in its last four against Colorado. The way UA takes care of the basketball and the advantage it has in the 2-point game at both ends makes for a sliver of leverage on ARIZONA -9.5 (-115).
Over/Under
CU’s offense has improved of late, and the Buffs are solid from 3-point-land. UA figures to get more than a few transition buckets in this game. And both sides are good enough on the offensive glass.
That all makes for a moderate-to-strong lean on the OVER 150.5 (-115).
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