Barry Recks
The reigning NCAA champions Kansas Jayhawks will open their March Madness campaign this Thursday against the Howard Bison, who will be looking to pull off a massive upset. Will that miracle happen?
Read on for more about this Kansas vs Howard matchup in the 2022-23 college basketball season, including the latest odds, pick, and prediction to win this showdown, as brought to you by JefeBet. Also, don’t forget to check out the other NCAAB game previews here to help you make the best betting decisions.
Predictions and Betting Preview for the Kansas Jayhawks vs Howard Bison NCAA Basketball Championship Round 1 Game on March 16, 2023
- Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- When: Thursday, March 16, 2023, 2:00 PM ET
- March Madness Betting Odds: View NCAAB Odds
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Betting on the Kansas Jayhawks
- Regular Season Record: 27-7
Kansas failed to win the Big 12 tournament title, as the Jayhawks lost to the Texas Longhorns in the title game. Nevertheless, the Jayhawks did not need to win that to get into the Big Dance, thanks to a strong resume. As a No. 1 seed, Kansas is virtually assured of advancing to the second round, with just Howard hindering the Jayhawks from doing so.
Kansas is expected to have little to zero problems at all in scoring against the Bison, who are just 240th in the nation with 72.6 points allowed per game and 212th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Meanwhile, Kansas is 29th nationally with 114.6 points per game average. Defensively, Kansas can also get the job done, as it is allowing only 91.5 points per 100 possessions adjusted.
Betting on the Howard Bison
- Regular Season Record: 22-12
Howard is the huge underdog in this fight, but at least it’s got momentum. The Bison enter the Big Dance on a five-game win streak. They ended the regular season with back-to-back wins over South Carolina State and Norfolk State before stitching together three victories in a row in the MEAC tournament to win a ticket to the NCAA tournament.
Although largely untested against elite competition, Howard believes in its ability to stun opponents with its outside shooting. The Bison were No. 1 in the MEAC in effective field goal percentage on the strength of their 42.6 percent shooting from behind the arc against league rivals. Nationally, Howard is 31st with a 37.2 percent shooting from deep. A team that always makes their threes is a threat against any squad.
JefeBet Prediction
Kansas puts the Bison in place and comes away with an easy and dominant victory.
Prediction: Kansas wins, 85-65.
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