UConn was dead and buried against Cincinnati in the first round of the AAC tournament, literally 0.8 seconds away from the NIT. But a program-defining Hail Mary saved the Huskies season and propelled them to the tournament title. Colorado flew under the radar as one of the top teams in a very tough Pac-12.
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Connecticut Huskies -3.5
Colorado Buffaloes +3.5
Over/Under: 136
HOW THE CONNECTICUT HUSKIES CAN COVER THE SPREAD
After capturing the AAC’s automatic bid following a dramatic four-overtime win over Cincinnati in the quarterfinals, the Huskies are back in the NCAA Tournament and are confident they’ve got what it takes to make another strong run.
It truly is remarkable how many times the Huskies have been spurred on by miraculous events in March, and this team has turned it on at the right time – thanks in large part to Jalen Adams, who just may have become the go-to guy UConn had been looking for all season.
The Huskies match up well down low against Colorado with 7-foot anchor Amida Brimah. He and Shonn Miller will be tasked with slowing down the Buffs inside game.
Guard Daniel Hamilton played well in the AAC tournament and will be asked to crack the stingy Colorado defense. Help from Rodney Purvis will go a long way toward advancing the Huskies to the next round.
HOW THE COLORADO BUFFALOES CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Colorado held up well in the ultra-competitive Pac-12, posting wins over Arizona, Oregon and Cal. As a result the Buffs are back in the Tournament after a one-year absence with a 22-11 record and a fifth place finish in the conference.
The Buffaloes have one of the best players in the Pac-12 in 6-10 forward Josh Scott, who is a double-double machine and averages 16.7 points and 8.7 boards per game.
The imposing frontcourt also includes 6-6 sophomore swingman George King, who scores 13.8 points per game. King runs hot and cold, but has gone off for 20-plus points eight times this season, including in back-to-back games. Providence transfer Josh Fortune fits in well with the sizable backcourt.
This is a big, tough team that can grind out wins with its defense. The Buffs are also one of the best rebounding teams in the nation, and that’s a huge advantage in this one since UConn doesn’t rebound well.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
This one sets up to be a tough, physical battle between teams that play strong defense and have big front court players. Colorado has one of the best in Scott. He’ll be a load for Connecticut to contain. The difference comes in the backcourt. UConn counters with Sterling Gibbs, Purvis and Hamilton. All three have size, can penetrate and hit the outside shot. That gives the Huskies an edge as King is the only Buff with the height to match up. UConn is an extremely talented team and has a little more depth than the Buffs. The Huskies’ best players are playing their best basketball right now, and that will be the difference in what certainly sets up to be a tightly-contested matchup.
Connecticut 71, Colorado 67
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Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The matchup between the Connecticut Huskies and Colorado Buffaloes will go down Thursday, March 17, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. ET at the Wells Fargo Center. The matchup will be televised live on TNT.
