Colorado State vs Memphis Odds, Prediction and March Madness Picks, March 21

One of Friday’s more interesting first-round matchups in the NCAA Tournament has the 12th-seeded Colorado State Rams favored against the No. 5 seed Memphis Tigers in the West Region. Both teams come in hot, having won 10 and eight in a row, respectively, but an injury could be the difference in this one.

The March Madness odds favor the Rams to advance, thanks in part to Memphis’ Tyrese Hunter being listed as doubtful for the contest. Let’s take a closer look at what should be a very interesting game and help you get prepared to bet March Madness Day 2.

Colorado State vs Memphis Prediction Today (March 21)

My prediction

Even if Hunter was able to play in this one, Colorado State might still be favored in the NCAA basketball odds, as it has been solid all season long. The Rams, who finished second in the Mountain West regular-season standings and won the conference tournament, feature one of the more versatile players in the country in senior guard Nique Clifford (19.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists).

At just 6-foot-6, Clifford ranks 13th in the country in rebounding, per NCAA betting trends, and he’ll make a big impact in this one. Memphis won’t roll over just because of the absence of Hunter, but we like Colorado State to pull the seeding upset and win this one.

Top 3 Colorado State vs Memphis Betting Picks

My top picks

1. Colorado State ATS -2
2. Colorado State vs Memphis Over 147
3. Colorado State vs Memphis best point-scorer bet: Memphis G PJ Haggerty Over 20.5 Points

My Analysis

We’ve already talked about Memphis likely missing Hunter, but the Tigers have one of the more explosive scorers in the country in sophomore PJ Haggerty. The guard ranks third in the country in points per game with 21.8, and he had 42 points (along with nine rebounds, four assists and three steals) just a week ago in an American Athletic Conference tournament win over Wichita State.

Andy Katz ranks the top 🔟 players appearing in #MarchMadness 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Aqe4njYvrv

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2025

The interesting battle will be each team trying to impose their pace on this game, as Memphis likes to run while Colorado State is very methodical. We like both to have their moments offensively, making the over for this game one of our top March Madness predictions for Friday’s action.

Colorado State vs Memphis March Madness Best Prop Bet

Colorado State G Nique Clifford Over 8.5 Rebounds (-143)

Clifford can fill up the scorebook, leading the Rams in scoring, rebounding and assists, but it will be on the boards where he’ll make his biggest impact on this game. In the Rams’ Mountain West tournament run, he averaged 10.3 rebounds, and he’ll need that kind of effort to keep the Tigers from getting extra chances at the hoop on an offensive possession.

The board battle between Clifford and Memphis’ Dain Dainja (14.4 points, 7.2 rebounds) is going to be worth the price of admission alone, and we like Clifford to come out on top in that one, making him one of the top college basketball picks for a player prop in this game.

Bet on Colorado State G Nique Clifford Over 8.5 Rebounds (-143)

Colorado State vs Memphis How to Watch

• Game: Colorado State (25-9) vs Memphis (29-5)
• Date/Time: Friday, March 21, 2:00 p.m. ET
• Location: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
• Colorado State vs Memphis Live Stream: TBS.com

Get Colorado vs Memphis stats here.

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.