No. 4 Kansas will be laying big double-digits Saturday but it’s tough to see anything but a blowout over Harvard at home. Kansas has superior talent with high-scoring athletes along with a top-5 efficiency defense against a bottom-tier Harvard offense.
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HOW THE HARVARD CRIMSON WILL COVER THE SPREAD
Coach Tommy Amaker’s team is playing very sound, strong defense ranking top-6 in the country in effective FG percentage with a top-20 defense in shooting both inside and outside the arc. But last year’s Ivy League champs are 2-4 to start the season with double-digit losses already incurred to Providence and Boston College as part of their 0-3 ATS start.
A closer look at the Providence game stats shows they held the Friars under 40 percent shooting but 20 turnovers by the Crimson proved problematic.
Harvard now faces by far its toughest test against a more athletic, better shooting and stronger defending team. Big body Zena Edosomwan has really elevated his game in his third season scoring 13 points per game and pulling down 10 rebounds per contest. He and senior forward Evan Cummins will have to be big on the boards with freshman sharp shooter Corey Johnson knocking down triples for Harvard to keep this inside double-digits.
The smart, patient team that defends taking huge points is often the prudent play, but this year’s Harvard team has a very inexperienced back court and is completely out-classed athletically and physically in this match-up.
HOW THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS WILL COVER THE SPREAD
The No. 4 Jayhawks got a big boost last game as freshman forward Cheick Diallo made his much-anticipated debut following a NCAA violations suspension. He scored 13 points with six rebounds in the Jayhawks second-half explosion to beat Loyola, MD 94-61.
Kansas is scoring more than 87 points per game with a strong inside/outside experienced combo in Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden, Jr. Frank Mason is the perfect fit at point guard for a very deep and talented team that features seven players scoring at least nine points per game.
The Jayhawks rank top-15 in adjusted offensive efficiency and completely out-classes Harvard on the offensive end. Add in their top-5 efficiency defense that holds opponents to less than 30 percent shooting beyond the arc and you’re likely looking at less than 55 points scored for Harvard.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Harvard’s freshman back court of Johnson and Tommy McCarthy are launching over 12 three-pointers per game. Their inexperience in this setting against a strong, ball-pressure Kansas defense does not project well for the Crimson.
Harvard has scored less than 60 points in three of its six games and even with the Crimson playing slow and using the shot clock, they are not likely to keep this within 15 points. Kansas did lose to top-team Michigan State, but the Jayhawks have four big blowout wins and with Diallo now in the lineup, another seems likely on Saturday.
Kansas 76, Harvard 52
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Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The game between the Harvard Crimson and Kansas Jayhawks will take place Saturday, December 5, 2015, at 3:15 p.m. ET at Allen Fieldhouse. You can watch the game live on ESPN2.
