Iowa State Cyclones vs Colorado Buffaloes NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/30/24

Betting on today’s Cyclones and Buffaloes game? Catch the action at CU Events Center in Boulder, CO, as the Buffaloes hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on CBSS. Iowa State is favored by -10.5 in this Big 12 conference contest against Colorado. The game’s over/under currently sits at 146.5 points.

IOWA STATE CYCLONES VS COLORADO BUFFALOES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Colorado Buffaloes +10.5

This game will be played at CU Events Center at 9:00 ET on Monday, December 30th.

WHY BET THE COLORADO BUFFALOES:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-71 in favor of the Buffaloes.
• Not only will Colorado pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +10.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 146.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.

Is A Road Victory Likely for the Favored Cyclones?

The Cyclones improved to 10-1 with a 99-72 home win over Morgan State on Sunday. Iowa State entered the game as heavy favorites, but they didn’t cover the -42.5 spread. The total points for the game reached 171, surpassing the over/under line of 158.5.

Iowa State led 50-34 at halftime and continued their strong play in the 2nd half, scoring 49 points while allowing 38.

Iowa State’s offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 99 points while shooting 61% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 67.8%, thanks in part to their 74.4% shooting on two-point attempts.

The Cyclones dished out 26 assists, with Keshon Gilbert contributing 7 and Curtis Jones adding 6. Tamin Lipsey and Gilbert both shot 8/9 from the field, with Lipsey also hitting his only three-point attempt.

Even with Iowa State’s defense giving up 72 points, they couldn’t slow down their opponent, who shot 61% from the field, including a scorching 74% on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, the opposition hit 7 of 20 threes, good for 35%.

The Cyclones sent their opponent to the line 26 times, where they connected on 20 free throws, shooting 76%. Iowa State also allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Is a Home Win Possible for Colorado?

Colorado Buffaloes Recent Game/Games

Colorado improved to 9-2 on the season with a 79-55 win over Bellarmine on Saturday. The Buffaloes were heavy favorites at -24.5 and while they secured the win, they didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 134, falling short of the 146.5 O/U line.

Colorado dominated the first half, leading 45-16, but allowed 39 points in the second half while scoring 34. This second-half performance might be a concern for the Buffaloes moving forward.

Colorado put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 46.8% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 51.6%, thanks to hitting 60.5% of their two-point attempts (23/38), though they struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 25% (6/24) of their threes.

The Buffaloes were solid at the free-throw line, making 15 of 19 attempts (78.9%), and they grabbed 10 offensive rebounds. They also dished out 22 assists, with Assane Diop contributing 15 points in 17 minutes, shooting 63.6% overall. RJ Smith added 11 points, hitting 3 of 4 from deep.

Colorado’s defense held their opponent to 55 points, despite allowing them to shoot 46% from the field. The Buffaloes gave up 23 two-point baskets on 38 attempts, a 60% success rate for the opposing team.

From beyond the arc, Colorado limited their opponent to 6 threes on 24 attempts, a 25% shooting performance. The Buffaloes also sent them to the free-throw line 19 times, where they made 15, shooting 78%. Colorado allowed 10 offensive rebounds in the game.