CBB Matchups

Every D1 game with tempo-free ratings, four factors and market lines, one place.

College basketball is being built for the 2026-27 season (tip-off Nov 3). What's here fills in as games are played.
Non-conferenceClune Arena, Colorado Springs, CO
Denver
Efficiency #243
2025-26: 15-17 · 8-9 conf
@
Air Force
Efficiency #360
2025-26: 3-29 · 0-21 conf
Tue, Dec 1 · 9:00 PM ET
78.8
win 66%
Projected
74.0
win 34%
No line posted yet.
Model: DEN −4.8 · total 152.9 · ratings as of Sat, Oct 3
Preseason ratings start from 2025-26's final adjusted ratings, regressed toward the D1 average. The stats below are 2025-26's too; both update once 2026-27 games are played.

How the projection is built

each step, from an average D-I game to this one
Projected total
Average D-I game
148.2
PaceAdjusted tempo: Air Force 67.6, Denver 68.8 → 68.1 possessions
−0.5
Air Force offense vs Denver defense
−1.8
Denver offense vs Air Force defense
+7.0
Projected total
152.9
Axis starts at 140 pointsPoints added or removed at each step
Projected margin
Even game
0.0
Air Force offense vs Denver defense
−1.8
Denver offense vs Air Force defense
−7.0
Home court+2.9 points per 100 possessions to the home offense, −2.9 to the visitors
+3.9
Denver by 4.8
4.8
Denver side ◂▸ Air Force side

Steps are rounded to one decimal, so they can differ from the total by 0.1: the margin steps add to −4.9 against −4.8. The margin is the same build seen from the home side; positive numbers help Air Force.

Pace & total

possessions per 40 minutes
Tempo, possessions per 40 minutes

Projected possessions: 68.1, from each team's opponent-adjusted tempo. On raw 2025-26 season pace, Denver is the faster team (69.4, #118 of 365) and Air Force the slower (67.4, #227). When tempos clash, the slower team usually pulls the pace harder (study weights 0.80 vs 0.66).

Projected possessions
68.1
per team, 40 min
Projected total
152.9
model
Projected team totals
78.8 / 74.0
Denver / Air Force
Adjusted tempo, vs an average opponent
68.8#138
Denver
67.6#242
Air Force

How this game plays

what the study found each side's numbers actually do when these two teams meet
AdvantageDenver
Where Denver scores: shooting
Denver shoots an effective 53.6% (#79); Air Force allows 56.4% (#350). Expect about 55.2%, 4.0 points above an average D1 matchup — worth roughly +5.6 points per 100 possessions.
AdvantageAir Force
Where Air Force struggles: the offensive glass
Air Force rebounds 21.4% of its own misses (#360); Denver lets opponents grab 32.8% of their own misses (#291). Expect about 25.3%, 5.1 points below an average D1 matchup — worth roughly -3.1 points per 100 possessions.
TurnoversDenver
Denver protects the ball
Projected turnover rate of 14.3% is worth roughly +3.1 points per 100 possessions for Denver's offense.
Watch for noise
3-point caution
A notable season 3-point number here (Air Force, Denver, Air Force's defense, Denver's defense) is close to a coin flip going forward — the study's model of next-game 3P% barely beats guessing the D1 average. Shot volume is what actually carries: expect Denver at about 38.4% of its shots from three, Air Force about 39.7%.
ClashAir Force
Style match: paint scoring
Air Force scores 46.5% of its points in the paint; Denver gives up 47.4% of opponents' points in the paint (D1 average 42.8%). Expect about 45.3% — both habits push the same way.
Denver has the ball
OffenseAir Force allowsvs D1 avg
53.6% #79
56.4% #350
+5.6 pt/100
14.3% #30
15.1% #281
+3.1 pt/100
29.8% #213
31.3% #215
-0.0 pt/100
34.1% #203
36.6% #227
+0.1 pt/100
77.1% #31
—
+0.4 pt/100
Denver net across the four factors + FT%, vs. a D1-average matchup: +9.2 pts/100
Air Force has the ball
OffenseDenver allowsvs D1 avg
48.9% #292
56.0% #344
+1.5 pt/100
21.9% #361
13.0% #356
-0.6 pt/100
21.4% #360
32.8% #291
-3.1 pt/100
35.1% #174
36.8% #231
+0.1 pt/100
64.1% #364
—
-0.7 pt/100
Air Force net across the four factors + FT%, vs. a D1-average matchup: -2.8 pts/100

Shot diet

Where each offense shoots from and where each defense lets teams shoot · 2025-26 numbers
Denveroffense vsAir Forcedefense
Share of shots by zone
Denver shoots
Air Force allows
D-I average
FG% by zone
ZoneD-I avg
Rim57.7%#20762.7%#31958.6%
Short 2 (≤9 ft)43.7%#8745.5%#30939.5%
Mid 2 (10 ft+)45.1%#1442.1%#30938.0%
Three36.8%#3237.6%#35233.7%
Air Forceoffense vsDenverdefense
Share of shots by zone
Air Force shoots
Denver allows
D-I average
FG% by zone
ZoneD-I avg
Rim59.3%#15262.9%#32458.6%
Short 2 (≤9 ft)29.5%#35141.4%#22039.5%
Mid 2 (10 ft+)33.9%#31442.6%#31938.0%
Three30.6%#33236.7%#33833.7%
RimShort 2 (≤9 ft)Mid 2 (10 ft+)Three

Zones from play-by-play shot descriptions; garbage time removed. Bars show the share of field-goal attempts in each zone; where a slice is too thin for its number, the shares are listed under the bar. FG% ranks: #1 = best for that side (most accurate shooting, stingiest defense).

Shot volume

Extra scoring chances from rebounds, turnovers and the foul line · 2025-26 numbers
Denver
−2.4extra scoring chances per game vs a D-I average team#279 of 365
Off reb %
29.8%
#213
Def reb %
67.2%
#291
Turnover %
14.3%
#30
Forced TO %
13.0%
#356
FT rate
34.1%
#203
FT allowed
36.8%
#231
Where the chances come from (per game)
Offensive rebounding−0.2
Defensive rebounding−0.7
Ball security+1.7
Forcing turnovers−2.5
Foul shots drawn−0.2
Foul shots allowed−0.4
Air Force
−8.0extra scoring chances per game vs a D-I average team#363 of 365
Off reb %
21.4%
#360
Def reb %
68.7%
#215
Turnover %
21.9%
#361
Forced TO %
15.1%
#281
FT rate
35.1%
#174
FT allowed
36.6%
#227
Where the chances come from (per game)
Offensive rebounding−2.9
Defensive rebounding−0.2
Ball security−3.5
Forcing turnovers−1.1
Foul shots drawn0.0
Foul shots allowed−0.3

Denver has more extra scoring chances per game: −2.4 (#279 of 365) to Air Force’s −8.0 (#363).

Grade = extra shots and foul-line trips per game compared with a D-I average team, built from six season rates. Cell shading is the national rank for each rate (greener = better for that team).

Rotation

Denver2025-26 numbers
ESPN hasn't posted Denver's 2026-27 roster yet — these are last season's players.
#PlayerPosClHtGP-GSMPGPPGRPGAPGTOVeFG%3P%3PA/gFT%UsageStatus
20Carson JohnsonGSo6'1"32-3235.620.11.83.01.355.3%41.4%6.688.2%29.0%
0Jeremiah BurkeFSr6'7"32-3232.014.65.61.52.054.4%39.0%5.877.4%26.8%
5Logan KinseyFSr6'6"32-3229.311.44.01.00.958.5%31.1%1.478.4%19.8%
32Gabe OldhamFJr6'8"32-2725.65.67.41.10.870.3%—0.047.8%11.3%
7Zane NelsonGSr6'4"30-2024.713.33.62.51.652.7%42.0%4.677.8%30.9%
8Julius RollinsGSr6'7"29-920.58.03.21.31.248.9%34.9%2.979.7%23.5%
1Shaun WysockiFSo6'7"30-519.67.53.30.80.863.4%31.4%1.272.5%19.3%
13Josh LeeGSr6'3"24-310.83.31.50.70.646.7%33.3%1.378.6%19.2%
21Didier MalengFJr6'9"27-07.51.71.60.10.244.1%0.0%0.265.2%14.4%
4Corleone DandridgeGFr6'5"12-06.91.31.50.10.441.2%0.0%0.750.0%15.2%
30Loch CunninghamFSo6'5"5-01.80.20.60.40.20.0%—0.050.0%18.4%
2Devin CarneyGJr6'1"5-01.20.60.20.20.237.5%33.3%0.6—49.0%
3Ian MottaFSr6'6"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
11Kaden HoldbrookGJr6'2"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
6Trajan ThompsonGFr6'6"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
—Owen McGlashanNA——0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
Rosters come from ESPN and are still filling in; incoming transfers and freshmen may be missing.

Tale of the tape

national rank toned left for away, right for home
DenverAir Force
Efficiency
113.0
97.8
116.6
114.2
68.8
67.6
—
—
Shooting
53.6%
48.9%
52.6%
51.1%
36.8%
30.6%
77.1%
64.1%
34.1%
35.1%
Ball control & glass
14.3%
21.9%
13.0%
15.1%
29.8%
21.4%
32.8%
31.3%
8.4%
11.8%
7.9%
11.9%
Style
38.6%
41.8%
38.6%
46.5%
7.4%
10.5%
40.2%
55.9%
25.7%
32.1%
Roster
3.26
1.73
6'5.4"
6'6.2"
—
—

Offseason

roster movement into this season — descriptive, not a model input
Denver
Returning minutes: 100.0%Returning production: 100.0%
ESPN hasn't posted Denver's roster for this season yet — no movement to show.

Returns 100% of last season's minutes. Teams returning at least 65% of last season's minutes have historically gained about 2.2 points of AdjEM (n=156 team-seasons, 2022-2026). (ESPN hasn't posted this season's roster yet -- this may still be last season's list.)

Air Force
Returning minutes: 100.0%Returning production: 100.0%
ESPN hasn't posted Air Force's roster for this season yet — no movement to show.

Returns 100% of last season's minutes. Teams returning at least 65% of last season's minutes have historically gained about 2.2 points of AdjEM (n=156 team-seasons, 2022-2026). (ESPN hasn't posted this season's roster yet -- this may still be last season's list.)

Head-to-head

this season and last
No meetings the last two seasons.

The CBB Matchups tab lays out the day's Division I slate: matchup, tip time, records and rank, and — once posted — Pinnacle's spread and total (the median across books when Pinnacle has no line). Three views switch the table between projected scores, pace and totals, and each team's offensive and defensive tendencies. Each game opens into opponent-adjusted possessions, efficiency and four-factor tendencies for both teams, plus recent form, rotation and head-to-head history. Every game also carries our projected score, spread and total, built bottom-up from those same numbers: expected possessions times each side's opponent-adjusted points per possession, plus home court.

What these numbers mean: line shopping.