Nov 15, 2022; Syracuse, New York, USA; Colgate Raiders guard Braeden Smith (2) reacts to his three-point basket against the Syracuse Orange during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
An NCAA Tournament bid is on the line tonight when the Lafayette Leopards take on the Colgate Raiders in the Patriot League Tournament championship.
Colgate dominated the Patriot League all season, cruising to a 17-1 conference record with its only loss coming in a one point decision on the road against American. The Raiders also had an impressive out of conference schedule, most notably defeating Syracuse by a final score of 80-68 early in the season.
Meanwhile Lafayette entered the tournament as the No. 6 seed, but defeated No. 3 Lehigh and No. 7 American on its way to the final.
Let’s take a peak at the odds for the game and then I’ll break down my best bet.
Lafayette vs. Colgate odds, spread, and total
Lafayette vs. Colgate prediction and pick
Colgate is a massive favorite in this game and for good reason. The Raiders are the second best shooting team in the country, ranking second in effective field goal percentage at 58.4%. Only Gonzaga has a better eFG% at 58.5%.
Meanwhile, lowly Lafayette comes in at 253rd in that stat.
I wouldn’t look too deep into Lafayette going on a run in the tournament and carrying momentum into the game. Outside of Colgate, the rest of the Patriot League was equally average. The Leopards aren’t anything to worry about for the Raiders.
Another reason why Colgate should win with margin in this game, is the Raiders do a great job of not turning the ball over, ranking 22nd in the country in turnovers per possession. They turn it over on only 14.9% of possessions.
With far superior shooting and an advantage when it comes to disciplined play, I’m not afraid to lay plenty of points on Colgate in the final.
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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
