2022 NCAA Tournament Michigan vs. Colorado State line, predictions: College basketball odds, picks for Thursday's matchup from advanced computer model

The sixth-seeded Colorado State Rams face a tested but 11th-seeded Michigan Wolverines team to open the 2022 NCAA Tournament First Round on Thursday in Indianapolis. The Wolverines (17-14) played one of the toughest schedules in the nation in the Big Ten and are making their sixth straight NCAA Tournament. The Rams (25-5) earned their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2013 after reaching the semifinals of the Mountain West Tournament.

Tipoff is set for 12:15 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Wolverines are one-point favorites in the latest Michigan vs. Colorado State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, and the Over-Under is set at 137 (Head over to our college basketball odds page for up-to-date odds on every game). 

Before you make any Colorado State vs. Michigan picks, you NEED to check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $1,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen HUGE returns.

The model knows the Wolverines reached the Elite Eight last year and came into the season expected to make a run at a title. They have struggled to mesh young talent with veterans and played a brutal schedule in a conference that has nine NCAA Tournament teams. Hunter Dickinson is still capable of dominating, and the 7-foot-1 sophomore averages 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds. Senior Eli Brooks brings strong leadership and scores 12.3 points, hitting almost 39 percent from 3-point range and averages 1.2 steals.

The model also has taken into account that Colorado State has a versatile star in 6-foot-5 guard David Roddy, who averages  19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals. He makes 57 percent of his shots overall and 45.5 from 3-point range and also blocks more than one shot per contest. Fellow guard Isaiah Stevens also brings a lot of versatility, averaging 14.9 points, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals. Colorado State scores 75 points per game and is better then UM on defense, allowing 3.3 points fewer per contest.

Now, the model has broken down the Colorado State vs. Michigan matchup from every angle and revealed its results. We can tell you the model is leaning Over the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any college basketball picks.

Who wins Michigan vs. Colorado State in their 2022 NCAA Tournament opener? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the Colorado State vs. Michigan spread you should be all over Thursday, all from the model on a roll on college basketball picks!