The NCAA Tournament will officially begin on Tuesday night, and there is a big matchup set to take place in Dayton. Colorado State will take on Virginia in this game, and both of these teams were fortunate to sneak into the postseason.
The Rams of Colorado State finished the regular season at 24-10, and they will represent the Mountain West Conference in this game. Colorado State was on a roll in early March, but bowed out to New Mexico in the conference tournament.
Virginia has gone just 2-3 in their last five games, and they struggled with inconsistency all season long. The Cavaliers are sitting at 23-10 on the year, and they were a team that many thought would miss the NCAA Tournament.
The Colorado State Rams are 2-5-point betting favorites in this matchup against the Virginia Cavaliers.
Colorado State Must Score
The Colorado State Rams are scoring just 68.4 points per game this season, but they are clearly the better overall team in this game. This team is going to have to put points on the board in a hurry, but it won’t be easy against a tough Virginia defense.
Guard Isaiah Stevens is scoring 16.5 points per game this season, and he will be a key to the attack for the Rams. Colorado State doesn’t always shoot the ball extremely well, but that’s something that they must do on Tuesday.
The Rams have been a solid defensive team this season, and they are going to use their length to frustrate the Virginia Cavaliers.
Virginia Wants to Defend
Virginia is one of the best defensive teams in the country this season as they are holding opponents to less than 70 points per game. The Cavaliers will be looking to slow down the pace in this game, but they also have to play well on the offensive end of the floor.
Reece Beekman is leading the team with 14.3 points per game this season, but he is going to need some other players to help out. Virginia does have some offensive talent on this roster, but they also need to make shots at a high clip.
The Cavaliers are a program that has had success in the NCAA Tournament in the past, but this team has struggled this season.
Rams Roll in Midwest Region
Colorado State has been a surprising team all season long, and they are going to be looking to make a name for themselves on a big stage. The Rams will need to make shots in this game, but they have proven that they can be a great offensive team.
Virginia has been a great defensive team all season long, and they are going to make things difficult on Colorado State in this matchup. The Cavaliers just don’t shoot the ball well on offense, and that is going to end up being the difference in this game.
Bet the Colorado State Rams -2.5 as they are going to roll to a big win over the Virginia Cavaliers in this First Four matchup.
