Stanford vs Colorado Odds, Pick: Pac-12 Betting Guide

Stanford faces Colorado on Sunday, March 3 at 9 p.m. ET on FS1. Here's Stanford vs Colorado odds and a pick for Sunday.

The Colorado Buffalos deserve to be an NCAA tournament team, and they've been proving why of late. The Buffaloes are on a three-game winning streak and have put themselves in a position to gain an at-large bid.

They will look to keep the momentum rolling Sunday when they host Stanford. It has been a tough season for the Cardinal, who beat Arizona but have nothing to show for it in their Pac-12 record.

Jerod Haase's team has lost five games in a row, and it appears they've packed it in for the remainder of the regular season.

The Cardinal defeated Arizona earlier in the season, which made many believe they could be a surprise team in the Pac-12, but they've now fallen to 7-11 in conference play.

Offensively, the Cardinal have been efficient for most of the season. They rank in the top 100 in adjusted offensive efficiency, heavily relying on the 3-pointer. They are shooting 38% from distance, which is remarkable given their overall record. Seven-footer Maxime Raynaud is by far their most effective offensive player and is also shooting 37% from 3.

Stanford should generate offense throughout this matchup, as Colorado's defense has been mediocre at times, especially inside. Guard Michael Jones is shooting 45% from distance, so I expect the Cardinal's offense to flow through him and Raynaud.

Defensively, Stanford does a decent job at staying disciplined and is a solid rebounding team. But they've been exposed all over the floor, specifically out on the perimeter. The Cardinal are 306th in 3PT% allowed, a recipe for disaster against the fifth-best shooting team from deep in the country. I do not expect many stops for Stanford on the defensive end.

The Cardinal's offense may keep them in it, but I have a bad feeling about their defense in this matchup. It is a decent buy-low opportunity for Stanford, but I can't gauge what their mentality is since their season is already over.

After suffering back-to-back losses to Arizona and UCLA, Tad Boyle's team looked like it was packing it in. Since then, the Buffaloes have put together a winning streak and have firmly entered the conversation to earn an at-large bid. They are a well-balanced squad that has the intangibles to make a deep run in March, ranking in the top 60 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

Colorado's offense is powered by its elite 3-point shooting. Guard KJ Simpson and forward Cody Williams are shooting 45% combined from deep. Against the Cardinal, they should be able to score at will.

Defensively, Colorado may struggle at points throughout the contest. The Buffaloes don't force turnovers and have been mediocre at defending inside. The perimeter defense is solid, but the Cardinal are a good offensive team capable of making shots from deep.

Although their metrics suggest they are a good defensive team, I expect this game to be a back-and-forth affair.

Colorado is clearly the better team in this contest, but I am a bit weary about backing the Buffaloes here.

Instead, I think we get a good offensive performance from the Cardinal to break their recent trend of poor performances. I like the Over, and even if the Buffaloes' 3-point regression hits, they will make up for it in different areas.

Pick: Over 155.5