In a First Round NCAA Tournament game, the 1-seed Kansas Jayhawks will face off with the 16-seed Howard Bison in the West Region. Let’s take a look at the top college basketball betting odds, March Madness expert picks, betting trends and KenPom Rankings, then share our official Kansas vs Howard prediction for the First Round matchup.
Kansas vs Howard Prediction and March Madness Expert Picks
2023 NCAA Tournament First Round
No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (27-7) vs. No. 16 Howard Bison (22-12)
Date: Thursday, March 16, 2023
Time: 2 PM EST
Venue: Wells Fargo Arena — Des Moines, IA
Coverage: TBS
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Kansas vs Howard March Madness Betting Odds
All college basketball betting odds for Kansas vs Howard can be found at BetUS Sportsbook.
Moneyline: KU: (N/A) | HOW: (N/A)
Point Spread: KU: -22 (-110) | HOW: +22 (-110)
Total: 145 — Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)
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KenPom Rankings | Bracketology
KenPom Rankings are from KenPom.com
| Team | Overall AdjEM (Rk) | AdjO (Rk) | AdjD (Rk) | AdjT (Rk) |
| Kansas | +23.14 (9) | 114.6 (29) | 91.5 (7) | 69.3 (79) |
| Howard | -3.21 (215) | 103.7 (204) | 106.9 (212) | 69.0 (99) |
Kansas vs Howard College Basketball Betting Trends
- Jayhawks are 10-0 straight up in their last ten games played on a Thursday.
- Each of the Jayhawks’ last seven games has stayed UNDER the total.
- The UNDER is 4-0 in the Jayhawks’ last four neutral site games.
- Bison are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
- Seven of the Bison’s last eight neutral site games have stayed UNDER the total.
- Bison are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games when playing as a betting underdog.
Kansas vs Howard Prediction | March Madness Expert Picks and Bracketology
Of the current First Round games for which matchups and odds are set, this game features the largest point spread on the betting board. It’s easy to see why when one considers the disparity of talent between the two teams. Kansas is certainly the more battle-tested side as well after playing in the rugged Big 12 Conference this season.
Howard qualified for March Madness by virtue of winning the MEAC Tournament. The Bison had a solid season in conference play, but it must be noted that the MEAC is one of the weakest leagues in the entire country. Even as the top team in said conference, Howard is still nowhere close to being on Kansas’ level.
Despite the massive point spread, one can’t help but consider laying it with the defending national champs. The Jayhawks figure to come out with a sense of urgency after getting their doors blown off by Texas in the Big 12 Tournament Final. With Bill Self expected to be back on the bench following a heart procedure, there will also be some added emotion present.
Admittedly, garbage time feels inevitable in this matchup which could lead to the possibility of a backdoor cover. With that being said, Howard’s defense has no chance of stopping Jalen Wilson and the rest of the Jayhawks’ stars. Given how Kansas destroyed another HBCU program in Texas Southern in last year’s tournament, a similar outcome seems quite likely.
Our official college basketball betting Kansas vs Howard prediction will be KANSAS COVERS at BetUS.
For what it’s worth, the ESPN Matchup Predictor gives Kansas a 97.2% chance to win this game outright.
Bet: Kansas -22 (-110 at BetUS Sportsbook)
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