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Holy Cross vs. Colgate Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Patriot League Quarterfinals (Ride with the Raiders)

College basketball betting preview, prediction and best bet for Holy Cross-Colgate.

By Shelby Dermer

Nov 14, 2023; Syracuse, New York, USA; Colgate Raiders forward Keegan Records (14) drives to the basket against Syracuse.
Nov 14, 2023; Syracuse, New York, USA; Colgate Raiders forward Keegan Records (14) drives to the basket against Syracuse. / Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
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Colgate is trending toward another March Madness trip after locking down a third consecutive Patriot League regular-season championship. Colgate, bidding for its fourth straight NCAA Tournament bid, opens Patriot League Tournament play as a monster favorite against visiting Holy Cross. 

Holy Cross lost three straight and five of six overall to finish the regular season, but got past Army in the first round of the tournament on Tuesday, 84-68. Can they hang within the big number in Hamilton, New York on Thursday? Here’s the betting breakdown of the matchup with a best bet. 

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Holy Cross vs. Colgate  Odds, Spread and Total

Holy Cross vs. Colgate Betting Trends

  • Holy Cross is 11-20 ATS this season
  • Colgate is 16-13-1 ATS this season
  • Holy Cross is 10-20 ATS as an underdog this season
  • Colgate is 14-20 ATS as a favorite this season
  • The OVER is 17-14 in Holy Cross games this season
  • The OVER is 10-20 in Colgate games this season

Holy Cross vs. Colgate How to Watch

  • Date: Thursday, March 7
  • Game time: 7 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Cotterell Court
  • How to watch (TV): ESPN+
  • Holy Cross record: 10-22
  • Colgate record: 22-9

Holy Cross vs. Colgate Key Players to Watch

Holy Cross

Joe Octave: The senior guard averages 14.4 points per game this season but struggled shooting to finish the regular season, going 19-for-52 from the field over five contests. He turned it around in Tuesday’s win over Army, though, pouring in 28 points on 9-of-14 shooting to go with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. 

Colgate 

Keegan Records: The 6-foot-10 senior forward is a double-digit scorer and leads the Raiders in rebounding this season. He’s coming off his first double-double since Jan. 10, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s win over Lehigh in the regular-season finale. 

Holy Cross vs. Colgate Prediction and Pick 

Colgate’s suffocating defense has stymied opponents this season. The Raiders have held 14 straight opponents to 66 points or less and finished the regular season on a 14-1 stretch. Colgate is No. 1 in the Patriot League in scoring defense, permitting just 63.4 points per game and allowing opponents to shoot just 40.8% from the field, also tops in the league. 

Colgate’s defense doesn’t force a lot of turnovers, it just simply forces missed shots. The Raiders are No. 35 in effective field goal percentage. Holy Cross’ offense is below average in most major metrics sans 3-point shooting. The Raiders are No. 2 in the Patriot League (behind only Colgate) in perimeter shooting, hitting at a 35.6% rate from downtown. However, Colgate’s defense smothers the entirety of the court, and is borderline elite at defending 3-point shots, ranking No. 14 in the nation. 

Colgate’s offense should have a field day against a Holy Cross defense that is No. 362 in KenPom in efficiency, which is dead last in the nation. Unders have hit at a 66.6% clip (20-10) in Colgate games this season because of the Raiders’ defense, but the Crusaders’ defense has been so abysmal that Colgate could score at will. Instead, lay the big number with Colgate, which has covered five of its last seven games as a double-digit favorite. 

Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.

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