Harvard vs Kansas Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds & Picks
Ivy League Meets the Big 12
No. 4 Kansas Heavily Favored
The Kansas Jayhawks are expected to handle the Harvard Crimson on Thursday, hence the big line offered at the sportsbook.
Kansas is the -21½ favorite, a sizable line for the Big 12 team, which moved to 10-1 with its four consecutive wins.
Harvard has been inconsistent, so it needs to find its best basketball to keep this game close.
Let’s check the latest college basketball odds, stats, injury reports, and college basketball lines for Harvard vs Kansas. We’ve plenty of NCAA basketball odds for you to consider.
Crimson Turning the Tide?
The Crimson come off a 62-57 win over UC Irvine on Tuesday, which was a big upset victory.
They were +10 underdogs with betting online markets, so the Crimson dug deep and scored a much-needed win. The only win they had scored in December came against Tufts, which didn’t have betting available.
They are 8-4 overall, but they haven’t faced a team like Kansas. It’s a huge rise in opposition, and scoring anything over 60 points will be tough. Kansas allows 65.3 points per game, mostly against the likes of Indiana, Seton Hall, and Tennessee.
The one shining light for the Crimson is their away record. They are 4-1 on the road, so they won’t mind playing at Allen Fieldhouse. Facing a big crowd isn’t something they’re used to, but getting +21½ points is a lot.
Bettors could see value in Harvard, which plays a slow-tempo offense. If it slows it down enough, it could force the Jayhawks into taking bad shots, but finding significant positives for the Crimson is tough.
Jayhawks Finding Momentum
The Jayhawks have a tough upcoming schedule with Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and West Virginia on the horizon. Therefore, beating Harvard is a must.
Most expect the Jayhawks to do the business, which is what they have been doing recently. Following a 64-50 loss to Tennessee, they have won four straight and covered all four games.
They covered spreads of -25½, -11, -3, and -5, respectively. The most recent game was an 84-62 win over Indiana on Saturday as the -5 favorites. It was a comfortable win against a tough opponent and NCAAB odds have taken that into account.
“I don’t want to say that (11-1) is the best we could ever hope for,” Coach Bill Self said. “You always hope for never losing. But the guys have done well to this point. Now there’s no guarantee we’ll win Thursday. (But) we’re in a pretty good place now mentally. I think they (KU players) should be OK and excited to play before they go home (for a four-day holiday break).”
Bettors are hoping the Jayhawks haven’t gone into holiday mode just yet. Closing out the year with a big win over Harvard is important, so they should come out guns blazing.
Harvard vs Kansas Game Injuries
Harvard vs Kansas Head-to-Head
Harvard and Kansas have met only once. The only meeting came in 2015 when Harvard covered the +23 spread with a 75-69 loss on the road.
Harvard vs Kansas Game Information
- Game: Harvard (8-4) vs Kansas (10-1)
- Day/Time: Thursday, Dec. 22, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS
- Harvard vs Kansas Live Stream: TBS.com
Harvard vs Kansas Betting Lines
Harvard vs Kansas Picks & Prediction
Kansas should want to put on a big score against Harvard and has the offense to do it.
The Jayhawks average 79.8 points per game, which should be enough to cover the big spread against the Crimson and enter the holiday break with an 11-1 record.
Take the better team to do the job.
