Saint Joseph's vs. Colorado State Prediction, Odds, Key Player to Watch for NIT 1st Round

The madness of the NCAA Tournament dominates March, but let’s not forget about the NIT as well.

No. 3 seed Colorado State hosts Saint Joseph’s in the opening round on Wednesday night.

These teams had similar records this season, with the Hawks going 22-11 and the Rams going 21-12. However, home-court advantage could play a part here as Colorado State went 12-5 at home while Saint Joseph’s was just 6-7 on the road.

Let’s take a look at the odds, players to watch and my prediction for this NIT 1st Round matchup.

Saint Joseph's vs. Colorado State Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Saint Joseph's +6.5 (-108)
Colorado State -6.5 (-112)

Moneyline

Saint Joseph's +230
Colorado State -285

Total

145.5 (Over -110/Under -120)

Saint Joseph's vs. Colorado State How to Watch

Date: Wednesday, March 18
Time: 11:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Moby Arena
How to Watch (TV): ESPNU
Saint Joseph's record: 22-11
Colorado State record: 21-12

Saint Joseph's vs. Colorado State Betting Trends

Saint Joseph's is 18-13 ATS this season
Colorado State is 18-14 ATS this season
The UNDER is 20-11 in Saint Joseph's games this season
The OVER is 17-15 in Colorado State games this season

Saint Joseph's vs. Colorado State Key Players to Watch

Brandon Rechsteiner, Guard, Colorado State Rams

The Rams have a balanced offense with four players averaging double-digit points per game. They’re led by Brandon Rechsteiner with 12.2 points per contest, and the junior guard put up 16 points in their Mountain West quarterfinal loss to San Diego State.

Keep an eye on Rechsteiner with the Rams at home tonight.

Saint Joseph's vs. Colorado State Prediction and Pick

It’s easy to simply take the home team in the early rounds of the NIT, but these road teams didn’t travel all the way across the country to pack it in.

Colorado State failed to cover the spread in any of its last three games, including an 11-point home loss to Boise State as a -1.5 favorite.

I’m not sure if Saint Joseph’s can pull off the outright upset, but I’ll take the Hawks +6.5 tonight.

Pick: Saint Joseph’s +6.5 (-108)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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