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Raiders vs Leopards Picks and Predictions – Wednesday December 31, 2025
Colgate heads to Kirby Sports Center for a Patriot League matchup with Lafayette on Wednesday, December 31, with tip set for 3:00 PM ET on ESPN+. Colgate is laying 7.5 on the road, which tells you the market believes the Raiders’ offensive efficiency will travel, even with a 2-5 road record.
Lafayette is 3-10 overall but a more competitive 3-3 at home, and that’s the angle that keeps this spread from being an autopilot favorite play. If the Leopards can make threes at a normal clip and keep the possession count low, they can hang inside the number even if Colgate is the cleaner team.
Colgate Raiders vs Lafayette Leopards Odds
These are the current betting lines, and bettors should monitor updated college basketball odds on the latest NCAAB odds page.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate Raiders | -300 | -7.5 (-108) | 147.5 |
| Lafayette Leopards | +240 | +7.5 (-113) | 147.5 |
Colgate Raiders Betting Form
Colgate’s last game was a loss to Harvard, but the offense still showed plenty of structure. Jalen Cox was the engine, and having a primary creator who can score and facilitate matters in road conference games where you often have to win two or three ugly stretches. Andrew Alekseyenko and Ben Tweedy also chipped in efficiently, which is a good sign because Colgate covers numbers more often when the scoring isn’t all riding on one guy.
The Raiders’ efficiency is the reason they’re favored. A 49.3% field goal rate and a solid effective field goal number usually means you’re getting good looks, not just making contested shots. In a lower-possession environment, that kind of shot quality is the edge. Every empty trip is magnified, so the team that converts more of its good possessions tends to control spread outcomes.
For a deeper look at results and trends, check Colgate stats and results.
Lafayette Leopards Betting Form
Lafayette’s record is rough, but there are reasons this spread isn’t trivial. They scored 81 against Georgia Tech and got real production from Mark Butler and Caleb Williams, which tells you the Leopards can generate points when they’re confident and the game pace lets them get into early offense. At home, they’ve been more competitive, and that 3-3 mark matters when you’re catching more than two possessions.
The path for Lafayette is perimeter shot-making and keeping the game from becoming a turnover and rebounding avalanche. Their three-point shooting is the best thing they do offensively, and it’s also the simplest way for an underdog to survive. Hit a few threes, trade possessions, and force the favorite to keep scoring efficiently for 40 minutes. That’s how +7.5 tickets cash.
To track home form and recent game flow, use Lafayette schedule and stats.
Colgate Raiders vs Lafayette Leopards Matchup Breakdown
This is a tempo and shot-selection game. Colgate plays slower and tends to value possessions, which often makes it harder to win by margin on the road. That doesn’t mean they can’t cover, but it means you want their offense to be sharp early so they’re not playing from a tight scoreline late where variance can bite.
Lafayette’s three-point shooting is the swing factor. If the Leopards are hitting, Colgate has to answer with efficient twos and clean looks, and the spread becomes fragile. If Lafayette goes cold for a six-minute stretch, Colgate’s efficiency edge can create the only run the game needs. In a low-possession game, one clean 10-2 run is sometimes the entire cover.
The total at 147.5 is sitting in an interesting pocket. It’s not extremely high, but it’s high enough that you need both teams to score cleanly in a game that’s projected to be slower. That’s why unders tend to be live here: fewer possessions, more half-court reps, and longer stretches where the underdog offense can stall.
If you want a refresher on how pace, efficiency, and late-game fouling should impact totals and spreads, the expert betting guide is a good baseline.
Colgate Raiders vs Lafayette Leopards Predictions and Best Bets
I lean Lafayette +7.5. Colgate is the better team, but the style makes it harder to win by margin. A slower game compresses outcomes, and if Lafayette is even average from three, they can stay connected deep into the second half. That’s the kind of setup where the underdog doesn’t have to be great, they just have to avoid the blowup.
On the total, I lean under 147.5. Both teams play at low possession rates, and that’s a big deal when you’re trying to clear a number in the high 140s. If Lafayette has even one cold stretch, the under is in strong position. The only real threat is late-game fouling if this turns into a one or two possession finish.
Best Bet: Under 147.5 (-110)
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
To compare this play with the rest of the board, start with college basketball picks and use the NCAAB previews hub for more matchup breakdowns in the same format.
If you track performance, the best handicappers page is the entry point and the leaderboard helps you verify current form quickly. For packaged plays, you can browse options on buy picks. For navigation and research, the college basketball teams hub is useful, the main blog has additional angles, and you can compare options through sportsbook reviews and handicappers sites reviews.
