College Basketball Picks: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Arizona Wildcats

The Arizona Wildcats (12-0) open up Pac-12 Conference play against the perfect opponent, as they prepare to host the Colorado Buffaloes (10-2) at the McKale Center, with Thursday night's opening tip scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

Sports bettors will find that the Wildcats are 11-point home favorites in the college basketball odds (according to SBR Forum), while the total has settled in at 139.5.

Thoughts of revenge will have the host properly motivated, as Arizona dropped two of three meetings a season ago, including a 53-51 setback as 3.5-point favorites in the conference championship game.

Let's take a closer look at this contest from a betting perspective, while offering an against-the-spread (ATS) pick along the way.

Colorado Buffaloes

Both of the Colorado Buffaloes' losses this season have come as underdogs, which is important to consider when making your NCAA basketball predictions Thursday night, especially since they've lost their last 21 conference road openers.

Sports bettors will find that the Buffaloes are 9-16 ATS on the road over their last 25 games on their opponents' court.

Arizona Wildcats

The Arizona Wildcats haven't been seen on the court since Christmas Day, but they've gone 20-8 when playing with seven or more days rest since 1997.

It's important to note that the program is 23-11 in conference openers, including a perfect 12-0 mark at home. 

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Arizona Wildcats as one of their college basketball picks, as they've gone 11-1 ATS in their last 12 Thursday games, with most of that success coming against conference opponents.

College Basketball Pick: Arizona Wildcats -11

Follow Jeff Grant on Twitter