Colorado Buffaloes vs Utah Runnin’ Utes NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 2/5/25
The Buffaloes and Runnin’ Utes are set to face off at 9:00 ET on ESPN+. The Runnin’ Utes will host the game at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, UT. This Big 12 conference matchup has an over/under of 142.5 points, and Utah is favored to win by -7.5 at home vs. Colorado.
COLORADO BUFFALOES VS UTAH RUNNIN’ UTES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Colorado Buffaloes +7.5
This game will be played at Jon M. Huntsman Center at 9:00 ET on Wednesday, February 5th.
WHY BET THE COLORADO BUFFALOES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-71 in favor of the Runnin’ Utes.
- Even though we have Utah winning straight-up, we like Colorado at +7.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 142.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Can the Buffaloes Grab a Win on the Road?
Colorado’s season record fell to 9-12 after a 68-57 road loss to TCU on Sunday. The Buffaloes entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.
Colorado trailed 34-27 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap, scoring 30 points in the 2nd half while allowing 34. The game’s total points of 125 fell short of the 138.5 O/U line.
In their last game, the Buffaloes managed just 57 points, shooting 46.7% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 53.3%, with two-point shooting at 55.2% (16/29) and three-point shooting at 31.2% (5/16).
David Punch led the way, hitting all 3 of his three-point attempts and finishing with 19 points on 7/10 shooting. Andrej Jakimovski added 13 points, while Noah Reynolds contributed 11 points and 6 assists.
Colorado’s defense gave up 68 points, with the opposing team shooting 44% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 16 of 30 shots to fall, a 53% success rate.
From three-point range, Colorado’s opponents hit 8 of 24 attempts, shooting 33%. They also sent the other team to the line 17 times, where they made 12 free throws, good for 70%. Colorado allowed 8 offensive rebounds.
Is A Home Victory Likely for Favored Utah?
Utah Runnin’ Utes Recent Game/Games
Utah’s season record dropped to 13-9 after a 81-72 road loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday. The Utes entered the game as +1 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 153, surpassing the over/under line of 147.5.
Utah trailed 41-33 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 39 points while allowing 40. The Utes will look to bounce back in their next game.
Utah’s offense put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 40% from the field. They connected on 55.6% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 25% (7/28) of their threes. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.3%, and they made 70% of their free throws, going 21/30 from the line.
Bryce Thompson led the way with 20 points, hitting 4/4 from three and shooting 60% overall. Ezra Ausar also shot 60%, finishing with 18 points, while Marchelus Avery added 17 points, hitting 2/6 from deep. Gabe Madsen contributed 15 points, shooting 4/13 from three, and Mike Sharavjamts chipped in 11 points and 5 assists.
Utah’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 48% from the field. The Runnin’ Utes couldn’t contain the two-point shots, as the other team hit 15 of 27 attempts, good for 55%.
From beyond the arc, Utah allowed 8 threes on 20 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 40% from deep. The Runnin’ Utes also sent their opponents to the line 36 times, where they converted 27 free throws, a 75% rate. Utah gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the game.