Colorado @ New Mexico

Who will WIN this matchup?

Colorado Buffaloes (7-1)

@ New Mexico Lobos (4-3)

Current odds:

Colorado Buffaloes: (-200)

New Mexico Lobos: (+170)

• The  line for this game is Colorado by 4.5 points.

• The road has been tough on Colorado, which begins a stretch of six straight games away from home against New Mexico on Tuesday. The Buffaloes are 9-26 on the road over the last three seasons – 4-4 in non-conference games – and must significantly improve that record in order to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. The Buffaloes continue to receive exceptional play from sophomore guard McKinley Wright IV, who averages team highs of 15.1 points and 6.3 assists while contributing 5.4 rebounds.

• The Lobos have lost two straight in blowout fashion – 85-60 to Saint Mary’s on Friday in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Los Angeles and 100-65 at rival New Mexico State on Dec. 4. “These last two games have been been exposing to us in a lot of ways that we’re not where we want to be,” New Mexico coach Paul Weir told reporters. “… Hopefully the reps that we’re getting these guys, just like the reps for the guys last year, will allow us to grow and make us a really good team as the season unfolds.”

• Wright narrowly missed his second double-double of the season with 21 points, nine assists and six rebounds Saturday but struggles from 3-point range (5-for-20) while making 58.3 percent of his two-point attempts. Tyler Bey (12.1 points) grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds versus UIC, raising his team-high average to 8.5 with his third double-double of the season. Lucas Siewert also averages 12.1 points and contributes 5.9 rebounds despite totaling only 12 and eight over the last two games.

• Corey Manigault (12.5 points per game, team-high 52.5 percent shooting from the field) missed Friday’s game because of his role in a pregame fight Dec. 4. Anthony Mathis (club bests of 14.0 points and 47.1 percent shooting from 3-point range) scored a combined nine points and was 3-for-19 from the field in the last two games after averaging 17.8 and shooting 58.7 percent in the first five contests. Vance Jackson (13.1 points, team-most 7.1 rebounds) combined for 23 points and 14 rebounds in the last two games and has grabbed at least five boards in every game this season.

• The Buffaloes started the week 14th nationally in rebounding margin at plus-14.4 while the Lobos are minus-5.3.

• Colorado next plays in the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii on Dec. 22, 23 and 25 before opening Pac-12 play at Arizona (Jan. 3) and Arizona State (Jan. 5).

• The Buffaloes prevailed 75-57 in Boulder last season behind Wright’s first career double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) to even the series 7-7.