Pac-12 foes will collide when the Washington Huskies (12-5) face off against the Colorado Buffaloes (14-4) at Bank of America Arena. Action begins at 10:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Jan. 20 and can be seen on PAC.
The Huskies enter this game hoping for similar success after topping Arizona State 89-85 on Saturday. Andrew Andrews played a pivotal role, recording his fifth double-double of the season with 30 points and 12 assists. The Buffaloes, meanwhile, are coming off a 91-87 win against Oregon on Sunday. Josh Scott claimed his 10th double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Andrews has taken his game to another level over the last five games for the Huskies. During that stretch, he has averaged 25.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 2.4 three-pointers.
Expect this one to be a clinic on boxing out, as two of the nation’s top rebounding teams face off. Washington is among the nation’s best on the offensive glass, ranking 25th in OR% at 37.0%. Meanwhile, Colorado ranks 10th in the nation at corralling defensive boards with a DR% of 76.3%. The Buffaloes could also control the offensive glass in this matchup, as they rank 35th in the nation in OR% at 36.0%. The Huskies, meanwhile, place near the bottom of the nation (346th) on the defensive backboards with a DR% of 63.3%.
Washington is a slim two-point favorite at home against Colorado. According to the oddsmakers, the Over/Under (O/U) is currently 162 points. The Huskies have gone 12-5 Straight Up (SU) and 9-6 Against The Spread (ATS). The Huskies have no trouble scoring as they rank 13th in the nation in offense with 84.4 points per game. As for the Washington defense, opponents have consistently had the ball stolen by the Huskies, who rank 33rd in the country in steals per game with 8.1.
Over on the other bench, the Buffaloes have 14-4 SU and 10-5 ATS records. The Buffaloes convert their three-pointers at a high percentage, ranking 19th in the nation at .399. Shifting to the other side of the court, blocking shots is an area where Colorado has excelled. The Buffaloes average 5.5 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the nation. One advantage for the Buffaloes could be Washington’s high fouls per game average of 24.9.
These conference foes meet for what will be their first head-to-head battle of the season. Colorado won the last game in the matchup, bringing the head-to-head record to an even 3-3 SU over their most recent meetings. They are also even ATS in their most recent games (3-3). Colorado held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers twice, while Washington was never able to do so in their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – Wash, ATS Winner – Colo, O/U – Over
Notes
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington’s last 5 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington’s last 5 games when playing Colorado.
Washington is one of the top-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 84.4 points per game (ranked 13th). Colorado, on the other hand, allows 69.0 points per game (ranked 122nd).
Washington scores 86.0 points per home game (ranked 32nd). Colorado ranks a poor 125th in points allowed on the road, allowing 72.6 points.
Ranked 68th, the Colorado Buffaloes have an offensive rating of 111.5. The Washington Huskies rank 128th with a defensive rating of just 100.1.
Washington has an average field goal percentage of 41.8%. Colorado is a winning 6-3 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
On average, Washington attempts 23.0 three pointers and Colorado attempts 20.0. Both teams have winning records when they have 20 or more three point attempts. The Washington Huskies sit at 10-4 and the Colorado Buffaloes are 7-2.
The Washington Huskies earn the most blocks per game with an average of 6.8. The Colorado Buffaloes rank 19th with 5.5 blocks per game.
The Washington Huskies are among the best offensive rebounding teams in the country (ranked fourth). Ranking third, the Colorado Buffaloes are one of the top-ranked defensive rebounding teams.
The Washington Huskies make an average of 8.1 steals per game. When the Colorado Buffaloes allow 8 or more steals, they are an exceptional 10-1.
