Colorado State basketball vs Virginia prediction: Who has edge in 2024 NCAA Tournament First Four?

It’s a high-major matchup to begin the NCAA Tournament for the Colorado State men’s basketball team.

The Rams were placed in the First Four to begin March Madness, landing a No. 10-seed matchup against Virginia.

The game will played at 7:10 p.m. MT/9:10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 19.

A first-four team has made the Round of 32 in 11 of the last 12 years and these teams will be looking to continue that.

Here is a look at the key players and figures in the game and a prediction for Tuesday’s matchup.

Virginia basketball scouting report: Defensive excellence

Virginia is 23-10 and made the ACC semifinals, losing to eventual champion N.C. State. Virginia won the 2019 national championship.

This team is strong defensively, as expected of a Virginia squad. Virginia is ranked seventh in the nation in KenPom’s defensive efficiency rating and the Cavaliers allow 59.6 points per game.

Virginia 6-foot-3 guard Reece Beekman was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and leads the team in scoring at 14.3 points per game. He also averages 6.3 assists per game.

His showdown with CSU star guard Isaiah Stevens will be key.

Virginia’s 6-foot-4 guard Isaac McKneely is second on the team at 12.5 points per game. Virginia is 194th in the country in offensive efficiency, per KenPom.

Virginia’s path to March Madness

Virginia was considered a bubble team after finishing 13-7 in the ACC after a season with some ups and downs. Nonconference wins over Florida and Texas A&M helped build an NCAA Tournament resume.

Virginia also suffered blowout losses to Memphis, Notre Dame, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech during the season.

The “Hoos” beat Boston College in overtime in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament before falling to N.C. State in the semis.

Colorado State basketball keys

It all starts with Stevens, the All-Mountain West guard for the Rams.

The point guard averages 16.5 points and seven assists per game. His matchup with Beekman will be one to watch.

Beyond that, CSU will need scoring inside from Joel Scott, who averages 12.9 points per game. CSU wing Nique Clifford averages 12.2 points and 7.5 points per game and will be vital to CSU on both ends of the court.

More: Reaction to Colorado State basketball’s first-four selection in NCAA Tournament

Virginia basketball vs Colorado State prediction

CSU’s offense was flying early in the season as the Rams rolled through a strong nonconference. It bogged down in Mountain West play.

But, while the offense struggled, CSU’s defense turned it up a notch. The Rams are now up to No. 38 in the nation in defensive efficiency while sitting No. 42 in offensive efficiency (per KenPom).

The Rams will look to flow offensively and play at pace. Virginia will look to slow it down and play at its pace.

Expect a tight, close affair. The winner heads to Charlotte, North Carolina, to face No. 7 Texas in the first round on Thursday, March 21.

CSU is battle tested and angry at the selection. That can go one of two ways, but a Stevens-led squad is likely to be locked in and ready to prove itself.

Rams in a close one: 66-61.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.