The Kansas State Wildcats travel to Boulder, Colorado, to play the Colorado Buffaloes in a late-night matchup on Wednesday. Neither team is on the bubble or close to being in contention for the NCAA Tournament, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a decent product. K-State is looking to close the year off right with Interim Head Coach Matthew Driscoll, while Colorado is hoping to pull a miracle and win out in their last four games. Here’s a preview, prediction, key storylines, and updated odds to keep an eye on in this matchup as we get set for today’s game.
Colorado vs. Kansas State Basketball Updated Odds
The Colorado Buffaloes are currently listed as a 6.5-point favorite at home, with an over/under of 163.5 total points.
Key Storyline: It’s About Moral Victory Time
Let’s be honest with ourselves here, neither of these teams will reach the Big Dance this season, so it’s officially moral victory time. Colorado has a better shot than Kansas State to reach March as they’re sitting in a similar spot in league standings as Cincinnati and Arizona State, who have both recently been on the bubble, yet their five league wins have come against Oklahoma State, Arizona State (twice), TCU, and Utah, who are a combined 25-50 in league play. Don’t even get me started on Kansas State; they’re 2-12 in league play and have been horrendous all season long. Key storyline in this one: win because winning feels good.
Match Up to Watch: Colorado Offense vs. K-State Defense
Neither team in the contest is very lethal in any one area, but the biggest mismatch to consider is Colorado’s offense against Kansas State’s defense. The Wildcats are giving up 81.1 points per game to opponents on average, which is the 15th-worst in the Big 12. Conversely, Colorado’s offense is posting similar numbers in their favor, scoring 80.1 points per contest, which sits right around the middle of the league at No. 9.
Prediction: Colorado 81, Kansas State 75
The home team is probably the safe pick here. Kansas State is just 1-8 on the road this year, while Colorado’s done a pretty solid job at home with a record of 12-4. K-State will also be without a few key players in the game, so they’ll have a short bench yet again on Wednesday night. The best pick here is probably the over in all honesty, with the struggling defenses and middle-of-the-pack offenses.
