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The second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament continues with an intriguing matchup between the No. 4 seed and the No. 5 seed in the East Region. Florida State is the No. 4, advancing in the March Madness bracket with a win over UNC Greensboro in the first round. Colorado is the No. 5, dominating Georgetown to advance. Florida State brings a 17-6 record to the table, with Colorado entering at 23-8 this season. 

Tip-off is set for 7:45 p.m. ET in Indianapolis. The latest Florida State vs. Colorado odds from William Hill Sportsbook lists the Seminoles as 1.5-point favorites, while the over-under is set at 141. Before finalizing any Colorado vs. Florida State picks, check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. It has also returned almost $500 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on FSU vs. Colorado in the NCAA Tournament 2021. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Colorado vs. FSU:

  • Florida State vs. Colorado spread: Florida State -1.5
  • Florida State vs. Colorado over-under: 141 points
  • Florida State vs. Colorado money line: Florida State -125, Colorado +105
  • FSU: The Seminoles are 3-5-2 against the spread in the last 10 games
  • COLO: The Buffaloes are 5-5 against the spread in the last 10 games

Why Florida State can cover 

Florida State is a top-15 offensive team in the country on a per-possession basis, including a league-leading mark in ACC play. The Seminoles are a tremendous offensive rebounding team, grabbing 35.1 percent of their own missed shots, and they are above-average in both two-point shooting (52.6 percent) and free throw shooting (73.6 percent). Florida State is also an elite perimeter shooting team, converting 38.3 percent of its attempts from 3-point range. 

The Seminoles are the tallest team in the country, and that leads to some key strengths defensively. Florida State is a top-10 team in shot-blocking, rejecting 14.7 percent of shots, and the Seminoles are also in the top 10 in two-point shooting allowed at just 43.9 percent. The Buffaloes are just 221st in the country in free throw creation, and Florida State's length should be a deterrent against Colorado's strong offense.

Why Colorado can cover

The Buffaloes were highly impressive in their first round win over Georgetown, and that was a reminder of their lofty ceiling. Veteran guard McKinley Wright IV is their centerpiece, and he was tremendous in that win with 12 points, 13 assists and no turnovers. For the season, Wright IV is averaging 15.4 points, 5.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game, and he provides a steady hand to lead a dynamic offense. Colorado is one of the best teams in the country in offensive efficiency, and the Buffaloes should be up to the challenge against Florida State's defense. 

The Seminoles also have some weaknesses for Colorado to focus on, including a very poor defensive rebound rate of 68.9 percent. Florida State is 273rd in the country in free throw avoidance defensively, giving Colorado a potential edge if it can get to the charity stripe consistently. On the other end, FSU commits a turnover on 20.3 percent of possessions, which could fuel the Buffaloes in transition.

How to make Colorado vs. Florida State picks

SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 145 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Florida State vs. Colorado? And which side of the spread hits nearly 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.