Las Vegas Classic Final Round: A Look at Colorado-Indiana

Las Vegas Classic, Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Colorado Buffaloes vs Indiana Hoosiers
Thursday, December 23, 2010, 7:30 pm Eastern, TV: CBS College Sports
Opening Line: Indiana -2 1/2
Current Line: Indiana -3
Opening Total: 148 1/2
Current Total: 149 1/2
Money Line: Indiana -155 / Colorado +135

The Indiana Hoosiers are 3 point favorites against Colorado in the Las Vegas Classic

Colorado is 7-4 on the season and Indiana is 9-3. Colorado lost 89-76 to New Mexico last night, and Indiana was upset 67-61 by Northern Iowa in the first round last night. Colorado had won 5 straight before the loss to New Mexico, but all of those games were at home. In fact all four of these teams are undefeated at home going a combined 29-0 on the season. Colorado has losses to Georgia, San Francisco and Harvard on the season. Indiana has losses to Boston College and Kentucky on the year. Colorado is 0-7 ATS as a 3 point or fewer underdog on neutral courts since 1997. Colorado is also 3-12 ATS in non-conference road games in the last three seasons. Indiana is 1-8 ATS in all tournament games over the last three seasons. The all-time series is tied 1-1 between the two teams but they haven’t played since the first round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament.

Colorado trailed the whole way against New Mexico but they stayed close the whole game. Four Buffaloes scored in double figures led by Alec Burks with 25 points. Burks averages 20.7 points a game. The big problem for Colorado was New Mexico outrebounded them 31-19. The Buffaloes did force 18 New Mexico turnovers though. Colorado is outscoring opponents 84-72 on the season. Colorado shoots 49.2% from the field and 38.5% from three point range. They make 77 percent of their free throws. The Buffs average 34.3 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of +1.7. Freshman Guard Andre Robinson leads the team in rebounds, blocks and steals, impressive since he is only 6’7″. Colorado averages 15.4 assists and 10.7 turnovers a game. Guard Cory Higgins leads the team in assists with 2.7 a game and is the second leading scorer with 16.5 PPG. Colorado averages 8.2 steals and 3.2 blocks a game.

Forward Christian Watford had a double double in the Hoosier’s 67-61 loss to Northern Iowa last night. He had 23 points and 10 rebounds. Forward Derek Elston added 19 points but no other Hosier had more than 7 points. For the season the Hoosiers are outscoring opponents 78-62. Watford leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 18.7 points and 6 rebounds. Indiana shoots 50,6% from the field and 38.2% from 3 point range. They shoot 69.2% from the free throw line. The Hoosiers average 36.5 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of +5.9. The Hoosiers average 15.8 assists and 15.6 turnovers a game. Point guard Verdell Jones III leads the team in assists with 3.4 a game, and the second leading scorer with 12.6 points a game. The Hoosiers average 7.9 steals and 3.8 blocks a game. Jones leads the Hoosiers in steals with 1.5 a game. Back-up power forward Tom Pritchard leads the team in blocks with 1.4 a game.

These two teams are very similar statistically. Both are dependent on their superstars Burks for Colorado and Watford for Indiana to score. Both Burks and Watford had monster games in the losses yesterday. Neither team rebounds very well, and neither has beaten a really good team on the season. This will be an interesting for both teams to see where they are as they go into conference play next week.