Vegas Play of the Day: Colorado at Arizona

By Case Keefer (contact)

Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015 | 1 p.m.

With the betting board covered by basketball games, there’s little suspense of what the Play of the Day will focus on for the next several months.

The South Point-lined contest that started with $10,000 starting bankrolls will have a hardwood flavor.

Colorado plus-15.5 at Arizona: $330 to win $300

The Buffaloes haven’t played in more than a week since getting blown out at Utah 74-49 as 10.5-point underdogs last Wednesday. There couldn’t possibly be a better setup for them to have their first decent performance on the road this season and pick up a cover in an opponent’s gym.

Colorado’s 0-4 straight-up and against-the-spread record on the road has inflated this line a couple extra points. Opponents have outscored the Buffaloes by an average of 14.5 points per game away from home, a gaudy figure bound to come down with a larger sample.

They play too tough of defense to keep getting blown out on the road. It’s not like Colorado can’t score, either.

The Buffaloes’ three best players — Askia Booker, Josh Scott and Xavier Johnson — are all capable. They’re also three-year contributors, giving Colorado a decided experience edge over Arizona.

The Wildcats are coming off of a defeat of their own, losing 58-56 at Oregon State as 10-point underdogs Sunday, but there’s no way they’re putting near the same emphasis on this game as Colorado. Not with a tilt against new Pac-12 favorites Utah looming Saturday afternoon.

It’s a good spot for secretly good team in Colorado to keep it close.

Standings: Bern (62-52-1, $11,926), Keefer (60-61-2, $9,897), Brewer (56-61-3, $5,785)

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.