The last month has gone quite differently for Arizona and Colorado. The Buffaloes have won six straight and covered the spread in their last five. After starting the season 8-0, Arizona has dropped three of five — all as odds favorites. The Wildcats are coming off a bad loss to Stanford, 100-82, after entering that matchup as a double-digit favorite. Losing a second conference game and starting 1-2 in Pac-12 play would be a significant hit to the Wildcats' chances of winning the conference.
Here are the live odds for Thursday's Pac-12 rivalry game between Arizona and Colorado. The primetime game tips off at 9:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on ESPN. Here is the latest betting news for the Colorado Buffaloes and Arizona Wildcats, players' props from Caesars Sportsbook and a betting prediction for tonight's big game.
Live odds for Colorado vs. Arizona
Take a look at live odds for Colorado's road game at Arizona with spread, moneyline and total points markets at the top online sportsbooks.
More college hoops betting: Best College Basketball Betting Sites & Apps | College Basketball Odds: NCAAB Betting Lines, Spreads and Futures
Colorado Buffaloes betting news
The Buffaloes could be flying in as an underrated team. Advanced metrics have the Buffaloes as a top-25 team on Kenpom. They are well-balanced, ranking 29th for adjusted offensive efficiency and 28th for adjusted defensive efficiency. Also, since their upset loss to Colorado State, the Buffaloes have been playing their best basketball of the season, winning six straight.
Colorado has not been playing weak competition, either, beating teams like Pepperdine (91-66), Miami (90-63), Washington (73-69) and Washington State (74-67). The strong play has come without one of their star players for the last four contests, as Cody Williams has missed each with a wrist injury. Reports suggest he could be back anytime, possibly even tonight against Arizona. That would be a big boost to the Buffaloes, as he averages 14 points per game on 62.3% shooting from the field and 60% from three.
Colorado is getting excellent production from two of their veteran players, even without Williams. KJ Simpson is enjoying his third year in Boulder, and Tristan Da Silva has been there for four years. Simpson averages 21.1 PPG, good for 11th in the nation, and Da Silva is scoring 15.7 PPG. The experienced duo are also doing it while shooting above 50% from the field.
Arizona Wildcats betting news
The Wildcats looked like the premier team in college basketball early in the season, boasting impressive wins over Duke, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Still, inefficiency plagues this team on the offensive end.
Senior North Carolina transfer Caleb Love may be scoring 17.4 PPG, but he is only shooting 42.1% from the field and 32.1% from three. In the Wildcats' three losses, Love scored 23 points, 26 points and 29 points. Yet he did not shoot better than 47% in any of Arizona's defeats. In fact, over the three losses, Love shot 39% from the field and 33% from three.
It is not as if the Wildcats don't have efficient scorers, either. Their next three leading scorers are Oumar Ballo (13.2 PPG, 63.7FG%), Pelle Larson (12.1 PPG, 54.3FG%) and Keshad Johnson (12 PPG, 53.3%FG%), who all shoot over 50% from the field. If the Wildcats don't start running more of their offense through other capable players, their season could continue to unravel.
People wondered why Carolina went from preseason No. 1 to missing the NCAA Tournament last season. If you ask a Tar Heels fan, they give you one answer: Caleb Love. It appears that much of the same could be happening to Arizona this season if they don't get Love's shot selection under control.
Colorado vs. Arizona player props at Caesars Sportsbook
College basketball bettors should regularly check Caesars Sportsbook for the best value player prop bets for the biggest games. The markets below are a few of our favorites for tonight's Pac-12 rivalry game between the Buffaloes and the Wildcats.
KJ Simpson prop bets
- 20.5 points OVER (-110) / UNDER (-133)
- 4.5 assists OVER (-108) / UNDER (-135)
- 4.5 rebounds OVER (-107) / UNDER (-137)
- 1.5 threes made OVER (-178) / UNDER (+120)
J'Vonne Hadley prop bets
- 10.5 points OVER (-111) / UNDER (-131)
- 2.5 assists OVER (-108) / UNDER (-135)
- 4.5 rebounds OVER (-149) / UNDER (+102)
Eddie Lampkin Jr. prop bets
- 9.5 points OVER (-113) / UNDER (-129)
- 2.5 assists OVER (+127) / UNDER (-188)
- 7.5 rebounds OVER (-131) / UNDER (-111)
Caleb Love prop bets
- 19.5 points OVER (-127) / UNDER (-115)
- 3.5 assists OVER (+102) / UNDER (-149)
- 4.5 rebounds OVER (-152) / UNDER (+104)
- 2.5 threes made OVER (-125) / UNDER (-117)
Oumar Ballo prop bets
- 13.5 points OVER (-121) / UNDER (-121)
- 1.5 assists OVER (+145) / UNDER (-218)
- 8.5 rebounds OVER (-152) / UNDER (+104)
Kylan Boswell prop bets
- 10.5 points OVER (-119) / UNDER (-123)
- 4.5 assists OVER (-104) / UNDER (-141)
- 2.5 rebounds OVER (+102) / UNDER (-149)
- 1.5 threes made OVER (-167) / UNDER (+113)
Colorado vs. Arizona prediction: Pac-12 battle comes down to the wire
With a double-digit spread favoring the Wildcats, the Buffaloes have a great chance to cover the spread. Arizona is playing its worst basketball of the season, while Colorado is playing its best. While the Buffaloes may not win outright, it is hard to imagine them losing by double digits.
Pick: Colorado
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