When it comes to Wednesday’s jam-packed college basketball betting slate, it’s hard to top the massive Mountain West Conference battle set to take place in Fort Collins. The Border War rivalry will be renewed tonight, as the Wyoming Cowboys make the 65-mile trek south to take on the Colorado State Rams. Wyoming won an overtime thriller the first time these teams met in Laramie. While the Pokes will aim to keep pace atop the MWC standings tonight, the Rams will certainly have revenge on their minds. The following article takes a look at the top college basketball betting picks and betting trends, then shares a Wyoming vs Colorado State prediction for tonight’s matchup.
Wyoming vs Colorado State College Basketball Betting Preview
Men’s College Basketball Regular Season Game
Wyoming Cowboys (22-4, 11-2 MWC) vs. Colorado State Rams (21-4, 11-4 MWC)
Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Time: 9 p.m. EST
Venue: Moby Arena — Fort Collins, CO
Coverage: CBSSN
Wyoming Cowboys Preview
Just when Wyoming had a stranglehold on the top spot in the Mountain West Conference standings, the Cowboys went and suffered an upset loss to New Mexico last week. The Pokes managed to rebound at home over the weekend against Air Force. Coming into Wednesday’s rivalry game, Wyoming sits one game back of Boise State for the top spot in the league standings with two games in hand. KenPom ranks the Cowboys No. 49 in terms of overall rankings. The strength for Wyoming this season has been on the offensive end. The Pokes rank 26th in adjusted offensive efficiency and are second in the conference in points scored per game (75.7).
Wyoming basketball is led by senior guard Hunter Maldonado and sophomore big man Graham Ike. The former exploded for 35 points and seven assists in the first matchup against Colorado State this season. Maldonado’s performance enabled the Pokes to come away with an overtime win as college basketball betting underdogs despite Ike fouling out early in the extra period. Ike continues to lead Wyoming in per-game scoring (21.1) and rebounding (9.4) on the season. In Drake Jeffries, the Cowboys also have a three-point sharpshooter who has hit over 43% of his attempts from downtown this season.
Colorado State Rams Preview
Following the aforementioned overtime loss to Wyoming the first time the two rivals met in Laramie, Colorado State basketball went on a five-game winning streak. The run included massive victories over fellow MWC contenders San Diego State and Boise State. However, the Rams got blown out in stunning fashion by UNLV this past weekend. Now with four conference losses, CSU is unlikely to finish better than third in the final standings. Any hope of the Rams stealing the 1-seed in the Mountain West Tournament hinges on beating Wyoming in tonight’s college basketball betting rematch.
For those who thought that Wyoming’s offensive stats were impressive, Colorado State does the Pokes one better. Entering Wednesday’s Border War showdown, the Rams rank 15th in KenPom’s offensive efficiency rankings. CSU also leads the MWC in scoring at 76.1 points per game. David Roddy is the star of the show for the Rams in all facets of the game. He leads the team in both scoring (19.4) and rebounding (7.5) and also averages 1.1 steals and blocks per game defensively. Point guard Isaiah Stevens serves as Roddy’s main sidekick with averages of 15.2 points and 4.9 assists per game. Perhaps the greatest weakness for Colorado State at times this season has been a lack of size in the frontcourt.
Wyoming vs Colorado State College Basketball Betting Odds and Picks
All Wyoming vs Colorado State college basketball betting odds can be found at BetUS Sportsbook.
Moneyline: WYO: (+235) | CSU: (-275)
Point Spread: WYO: +6.5 (-110) | CSU: -6.5 (-110)
Total: 144 — Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)
Wyoming vs Colorado State College Basketball Betting Trends
- Cowboys are 22-5 ATS in their last 27 road games as a college basketball betting underdog.
- The total has gone UNDER in each of the Cowboys’ last seven road games.
- Rams are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss.
- The UNDER is 8-2 in the Rams’ last ten home games as a college basketball betting favorite.
- Underdogs are 10-2-1 ATS in the last 13 Wyoming vs Colorado State head-to-head matchups.
Wyoming vs Colorado State Prediction | College Basketball Betting Picks
Both Wyoming (No. 103) and Colorado State (No. 115) have defensive efficiency rankings outside of the top 100 according to KenPom. Both teams have certainly been much more proficient on offense than on defense this season. However, the real key to this handicap is the anticipated pace of tonight’s game.
While the Rams and Cowboys rank first and second in the Mountain West in points scored per game, neither plays at anywhere close to a lightning-fast pace. When adjusted for opponent, Colorado State averages only 66.7 possessions per 40 minutes according to KenPom. This ranks as the 228th fastest tempo in Division I. Wyoming is even slower, averaging 66.3 possessions per 40 minutes. The Pokes rank 246th in the adjusted tempo statistic.
For what it’s worth, the first meeting saw 140 total points scored during regulation. Had overtime not been needed to decide the outcome, it would have stayed under tonight’s lofty college basketball betting picks total. Bettors should also anticipate heightened defensive intensity from both sides tonight given the rivalry nature of the game.
Wyoming vs Colorado State Prediction: Under 144 (-110 at BetUS Sportsbook)
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