Colorado Buffaloes vs Colorado State Rams Picks and Predictions December 7th 2024

Colorado State Out to Halt Rival Colorado’s Home Success

Colorado will aim to maintain its impressive home dominance when it faces in-state rival Colorado State on Saturday night in Boulder.

Home-Court Streak on the Line

The Buffaloes (6-2) have been formidable at home, boasting a perfect 5-0 record this season and an eight-game home winning streak. They are 21-1 at home since the start of last season. While Colorado leads the all-time series 92-41, the Rams (5-3) claimed victory in last season’s meeting, an 88-83 triumph in Fort Collins. The past 10 matchups have been evenly split, underscoring the rivalry’s intensity.

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Contrasting Performances

Colorado is coming off a 75-66 home win over Pacific on Monday, a game marked by inconsistency. The Buffaloes started slow, shooting just 32 percent in the first half and allowing Pacific to grab 14 offensive rebounds. However, they turned things around in the second half, shooting 53.6 percent and holding Pacific to 26.5 percent from the floor.

“I look out there and think, ‘OK, this team beat UConn? How did that happen?’ I have no idea,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. “Our inconsistency is as evident as any team I’ve coached.”

Andrej Jakimovski led Colorado with 17 points, while Trevor Baskin contributed a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.

Meanwhile, Colorado State delivered a dominant 83-54 home win over Loyola Marymount on Wednesday. The Rams built a commanding 26-point halftime lead, fueled by Nique Clifford’s standout performance. Clifford posted 19 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists, while Jalen Lake and Kyan Evans each added 14 points.

Key Players to Watch

• Colorado: Andrej Jakimovski has been a reliable scorer, and Trevor Baskin has shown his ability to contribute across multiple categories.
• Colorado State: Nique Clifford, the Rams’ leading scorer, is coming off a monster game and will look to replicate his all-around impact against the Buffaloes.

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Rivalry Intensity

Colorado State coach Niko Medved emphasized the importance of composure in rivalry games.

“There’s extra emotion, and you love that, but you have to play with emotion and not play emotional,” Medved said. “If you do that, then you get out of character and don’t play well.”

What’s at Stake

For Colorado, the game represents a chance to solidify its home-court dominance and move to 7-2 on the season. For Colorado State, it’s an opportunity to snap the Buffaloes’ streak and notch a marquee road win in one of college basketball’s most competitive rivalries.

Tipoff is set for Saturday night, with the intensity of this storied rivalry sure to be on full display.