Washington Huskies at Colorado Buffaloes
Coors Events Center – Boulder, Colorado
Sunday, February 9, 2014, 8:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPNU
Opening Line: Colorado -6
Current Line: Colorado -8
Opening Total: 146
Current Total: 141 1/2
Opening Money Line: Colorado -290 / Washington +240
Current Money Line: Colorado -375 / Washington +305
The 17-6 Colorado Buffaloes host the 13-10 Washington Huskies Sunday night in a key Pac 12 game. The Buffaloes are 6-4 in the Pac 12 and tied with Cal and Stanford for fourth in the conference behind Arizona, UCLA, and Arizona State. Washington is tied for fifth with Oregon State at 5-5.
Washington leads the series 9-7 against Colorado, but the Buffaloes are 5-1 in Boulder against the Huskies. The home team has won every game in the series since Colorado joined the Pac 12 a couple of years ago. The Huskies won in Seattle 71-54 against the Buffaloes January 12.
Washington is coached by Lorenzo Romar. The Huskies have home losses to UC-Irvine and Connecticut, neutral site losses in New York City to Indiana and Boston College, and road losses to San Diego State, Arizona, California, Stanford, Washington State and Utah 78-69 Thursday night . The Huskies have lost 4 of their last 6 games including 2 straight. Washington has key wins over Montana, Long Beach State, Tulane, Arizona State, Utah, Colorado, Oregon and Oregon State . The Huskies are 10-12 ATS and the total is 11-10 this season.
Washington is being outscored 75.9-75.7 this season. Washington is #306 out of 351 teams nationally in points allowed. The Huskies are shooting 44.9% from the field, and 35% from 3 point range. Washington is #14 nationally in free throw shooting at 75.6% from the line. Huskies’ opponents are shooting 47.9% from the field and 31.8% from 3 point range. Washington is #332 nationally out of 351 teams in field goal defense. The Huskies average 34.3 rebounds per game and opponents average 30.2 per game. Washington averages 13.2 assists, 11.2 turnovers, 5.2 steals and 3.2 blocks per game. Opponents average 12.2 assists, 11.1 turnovers, 5.1 steals, and 4.4 blocks per game.
Guard C. J. Wilcox averages 19.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks. Guard Nigel Goss-Williams averages 13.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.1 seals per game. Guard Andrew Andrews averages 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Forward Perris Blackwell averages 10.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Guard Darin Johnson averages 6.3 points, and 1.9 rebounds per game. Guard Mike Anderson averages 6.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. Desmond Simmons and Shawn Kemp, Jr. will also get significant minutes in the rotation. Forward Jernard Jerreau is out for the season with a knee injury.
Colorado is coached by Tad Boyle. The team was ranked in the top 15 before their leading scorer guard Spencer Dinwiddie tore his ACL. The Buffaloes have losses to Baylor in Dallas and Oklahoma State in Las Vegas, at Washington, Arizona, and Arizona State, plus a home loss against UCLA. The Buffaloes have key wins over Wyoming, Arkansas State, UC-Santa Barbara, Harvard, at Colorado State and Air Force, Kansas, Georgia, Oregon State, Oregon, at Washington State, USC, Utah and Washington State 68-63 Wednesday night. The Buffa have won 2 straight games. Colorado is 12-10 ATS and the total is 11-10 this season.
Colorado is outscoring teams 74-68 this season. The Buffaloes are shooting 44.9% from the field and 35% from 3 point range. Colorado is #313 out of 351 teams in three point shooting. The Buffaloes make 71.9% of their free throws. Colorado opponents are shooting 42.8% from the field and 37.8% from 3 point range. Colorado is #317 in three point defense The Buffaloes are averaging 38.3 rebounds per game and opponents average 28.3 per game. Colorado is in the top 42 nationally in both categories. The Buffaloes average 11.8 assists, 13.4 turnovers, 6.7 steals and 3.9 blocks per game. Opponents average 12.8 assists, 13.1 turnovers, 6.4 assists, and 2.9 blocks per game.
Dinwiddie averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game before the injury. Guard Askia Booker averages 14 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Forward Josh Scott averages 13.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Forward Xavier Johnson averages 10.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Forward Wesley Gordon averages 6.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. Guard Jaron Hopkins averages 5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Dustin Thomas and Xavier Talton will also get significant minutes. Guard/forward Tre’Shaun Fletcher is out indefinitely with a knee injury, but could return for the NCAA tournament if the Buffaloes make it. Little used guard Kevin Nelson is questionable with a finger injury.
Washington is 4-10 ATS after a cover. Colorado is 5-1 ATS in Sunday games.
Both of these teams are inconsistent. Washington struggles on defense, and Colorado struggles against the three on defense. This should be a high scoring game, but I like Colorado to win at home in the altitude.
