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The Pac-12 Tournament celebrates its opening day with a first-round matchup between Colorado and Washington. Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena and will air on the Pac-12 Network. Let’s take a look at the odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and make some picks.
Colorado vs. Washington odds in Pac-12 First Round
Spread: Colorado -3.5
Over/Under: 138
Moneyline: CU -170, UW +145
Colorado (16-15, 8-12 Pac-12) enters the opening round a game above .500 thanks to a regular season finale win over Utah at home. The Buffaloes have largely been subpar on the offensive end this season, ranking 218th in the nation after averaging 69.9 PPG in the regular season. Thankfully their offensive struggles have been contracted with above-average play on the defensive end, as they hold their opponents to 63.3 PPG for a 70th-ranked scoring defense in the country. The Buffaloes went 0-2 vs. Washington in the regular season.
Washington (16-15, 8-12 Pac-12) has equally struggled on the offensive end coming into the tournament, averaging just 69.2 PPG, which is good for 249th in the nation for scoring offense. Their defense has largely been average under head coach Mike Hopkins, allowing 70.2 PPG to their foes. If the Huskies can bait the Buffaloes in this matchup they can more than makeup for their offensive hurdles by converting opportunities at the charity stripe. Washington has been above average at the free throw line, sinking an average of 74.6 percent of their shots.
The Pick: Colorado -3.5
Both of these teams leave much to be desired on the offensive end of the floor, which means the better defensive performance will be the deciding factor as to who advances to the second round. To that end, the Buffaloes have proven to be the slightly better team in limiting opponent scoring, and as long as they limit turnovers and convert their opportunities at the stripe, they should play up to their potential and prove that the third time’s the charm. Colorado was swept in the regular season, but leading scorer Tristan Da Silva (15.9 PPG) should lead the Buffaloes to a win over a Huskies team that has sputtered down the stretch.