Very few things on the sports calendar can match the excitement and unpredictability of the NCAA Tournament. So why not add betting to the mix via the college basketball odds at FanDuel Sportsbook?

The 2024 edition of the big dance has arrived, and here at FanDuel Research, we'll have you covered with a betting guide for each game.

Upon defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in one of the First Four contests, the Colorado State Rams are set to take on the Texas Longhorns in the Round of 64. Ahead of a matchup between the No. 7 and No. 10 seed in the Midwest region of the bracket, which bets are worth wagering on?

All college basketball odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook, and lines may change after this article is published.

NCAA Tournament Betting Picks

Colorado State vs. Texas Betting Odds

Date and Time: Thursday, March 21st at 6:50 p.m. ET

Spread: Texas -2.5 (-115)

Total: 144.5

Moneyline:

• Colorado State: +126
• Texas: -152

Colorado State vs. Texas Statistical Breakdown

Advanced stats from KenPom, Bart Torvik and numberFire.

Colorado State Rams

• numberFire Ranking: 35th
• Bart Torvik Ranking: 45th
• KenPom Ranking: 38th
  • Adjusted Defensive Efficiency Ranking: 38th
  • Adjusted Offensive Efficiency Ranking: 42nd
  • Adjusted Tempo Ranking: 270th

Texas Longhorns

• numberFire Ranking: 30th
• Bart Torvik Ranking: 20th
• KenPom Ranking: 27th
  • Adjusted Defensive Efficiency Ranking: 61st
  • Adjusted Offensive Efficiency Ranking: 19th
  • Adjusted Tempo Ranking: 196th

Colorado State vs. Texas Best Bet

Colorado State +2.5 (-105)

Momentum can be a real thing during the NCAA Tournament, and Colorado State has won five of their last six games before the First Round tips off. It was an impressive 67-42 victory over the Cavaliers in Tuesday's First Four showdown for the Rams, who were a perfect 2-0 against top-25 teams this season.

While Texas played in a competitive Big 12 conference, Colorado State faced some stiff competition in the Mountain West. For a game that pits a 7 seed against a 10 seed, these teams are pretty even across the board.

With Isaiah Stevens (16.2 PPG, 6.9 APG) leading the charge, the Rams are a well-balanced team that is 31st in effective field-goal percentage (54.6%). Considering that Colorado State and Texas both play at somewhat slower paces, taking care of the basketball will be extremely important in this matchup.

The good news for the Rams is that they record the 45th-best offensive turnover rate (14.8%) while the Longhorns are 153rd in offensive turnover rate (16.6%). Texas also doesn't take many threes, which is shown with them being 248th in three-point rate (34.9%).

When it comes to covering the spread, the Longhorns are 1-3 against the spread (ATS) at neutral sites and 5-8-1 ATS away from home. On the other hand, the Rams are 5-2 ATS at neutral sites.

According to numberFire, Colorado State has a win probability of 56.8% against Texas. The predicted score between the Rams and the Longhorns is 71.57 to 69.84 in favor of the underdogs.

Following a blowout win, Colorado State is poised to cover -- or win outright -- versus Texas in the Round of 64.

Colorado State vs. Texas Prop Bet

Nique Clifford Over 19.5 Total Points + Rebounds (-115)

Aside from Stevens orchestrating the offense from the point guard position, the Rams rely on Nique Clifford (12.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG) on both ends of the floor. Clifford leads the team in rebounds per game, and he's been scoring and rebounding well in recent contests.

Clifford has posted 20-plus points and rebounds in four of his last six outings, including 27 points and rebounds against Virginia. Throughout the 35 games he's played in this season, Clifford has achieved 20-plus points and rebounds in 21 of them.

The Longhorns have been out-rebounded in three consecutive games entering the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. With the Rams needing to control the glass in what could be a slow-paced game, Clifford just needs to get involved in the scoring department to hit the over on his points-plus-rebounds prop.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.