3 bold predictions for Texas vs. Colorado St in Round of 64

Head coach Rodney Terry and the 7-seed Texas basketball has a tough test ahead in their Round of 64 matchup on March 21 in the Midwest Region against the 10-seed Colorado State Rams. Texas is looking to quickly turn the page after an early exit from Kansas City, MO, in the Big 12 Tournament last week as they prepare for another March Madness run.

Texas basketball opens up the NCAA Tournament in the Round of 64 against Colorado State from the Mountain West

Colorado State is a really good team that has taken down multiple Quad 1 teams this season. Head coach Niko Medved and the Rams have six Quad 1 wins this season, one more than the Longhorns have.

That's not to mention the 67-42 beatdown Colorado State gave the Virginia Cavaliers in the 10-seed play-in game in the First Four on March 19.

Texas had a few days to prepare for facing either Colorado State or Virginia in the Round of 64 since they were slotted as the seven-seed on Selection Sunday. Terry needs to have his guys focused and ready to go for this Round of 64 battle at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC, on March 21 against Colorado State.

"We’re in the NCAA tournament, it’s 0-0 and we’re playing on a neutral court. We’ve had some time to get back and work on what we believe we do best and honing in on the details against a quality opponent in Colorado State."

If Texas beats Colorado State in the Round of 64, it will be the third consecutive year that the Longhorns have won at least one game in March Madness.

Here are three bold predictions in the Midwest Region Round of 64 matchup between 7-seed Texas and 10-seed Colorado State on March 21.

Colorado State's Big 3 scorers get held under 40 points in combined scoring

Colorado State is a team that lives off the production of three or four players on the offensive end of the floor. Four Colorado State players score in the double figures per game this season. And three are averaging at least a dozen points per game.

The three players that are carrying the biggest load on the offensive end of the floor for the Rams this season are senior guard Isaiah Stevens (16.2 PPG), senior forward Joel Scott (13.2 PPG), and senior guard Nique Clifford (12.3 PPG). Senior forward Patrick Cartier is also scoring in the double figures for Colorado State, averaging just over 10 points per game this season.

The trio of Stevens, Scott, and Clifford, have driven Colorado State's success in the win column this season.

In Colorado State's 24 wins this season, those three have averaged over a combined 45 points per game. And each time that trio has combined for at least 50 points this season, Colorado State is undefeated 6-0, including two wins over Quad 1 teams.

Limiting the scoring of Colorado State's top guys is an obvious key to victory for Terry and the Longhorns in the Round of 64. But that's easier said than done against three all-conference performers that have been firing on all cylinders this season.

Texas must close out quickly on the three-point line and contest paint shots if they want a chance at slowing down Colorado State on the offensive end. The three-point shot is a major component of how Colorado State's guard/wing duo of Stevens and Clifford like to attack you.

As a team, Colorado State isn't great at three-point shooting. But Stevens and Clifford are two of the top three-point shooters in the Mountain West, each shooting over 37 percent from beyond the arc on over three attempts from deep per game.

When Colorado State's top trio scores no more than 40 points per game combined, the Rams are 9-7 and 4-7 against Quad 1 foes.