Kansas vs. Howard Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – NCAA Tournament Round First Round

March 13, 2023, by Andy Molitor College Basketball Predictions

The top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks (27-7) and the No. 16 Howard Bison (22-12) will meet on Thursday to compete for a spot in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Kansas is favored by 22 points in the opening round matchup, which begins at 2:00 PM on TBS. Here are the insights you need when filling out your bracket for this 1-16 matchup. The matchup has an over/under set at 146.5 points.

Kansas vs. Howard Odds

Kansas odds to win: -6250
Howard odds to win: +1680
Spread: Kansas (-22)
Total: 146.5

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Game Time and Information

Date: Thursday, March 16, 2023
Time: 2:00 PM ET
TV: TBS
Where: Des Moines, Iowa
Venue: Wells Fargo Arena

Who Will Win Kansas vs. Howard?

Kansas and Howard Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread

In games it has played as at least 22-point favorites this season, Kansas is 1-2 against the spread.

Howard is winless against the spread (0-1) when playing as at least a 22-point underdog.

These teams average a combined 150.4 points per game, 3.9 more points than the total of 146.5 set for this game.

Kansas and Howard have seen their opponents average a combined 6.7 fewer points per game than the point total of 146.5 set in this matchup.

The average point total in Kansas’ games this year is 3.6 fewer points than the over/under of 146.5 in this matchup.

The average point total for the Bison this season is 0.9 points higher than this game’s over/under.

The Jayhawks’ ATS record is 16-18-0 this season.

The Bison’s ATS record is 18-13-0 this season.

Kansas Stats & Insights

Kansas is outscoring opponents by seven points per game with a +238 scoring differential overall. It puts up 74.9 points per game (103rd in college basketball) and gives up 67.9 per outing (114th in college basketball).

Kansas wins the rebound battle by 1.2 boards on average. It records 33.2 rebounds per game, which ranks 89th in college basketball, while its opponents pull down 32 per outing.

The Jayhawks make 7 three-pointers per game (222nd in college basketball) compared to their opponents’ 6.4. They shoot 34.4% from deep while their opponents hit 31.2% from long range.

Kansas ranks 139th in college basketball with 95.2 points scored per 100 possessions, and 53rd in college basketball defensively with 86.3 points conceded per 100 possessions.

The Jayhawks average 78.8 points per game when playing at home, compared to 74 points per game when playing on the road, a difference of 4.8 points per contest.

Howard Stats & Insights

Howard is outscoring opponents by 3.6 points per game, with a +120 scoring differential overall. It puts up 75.5 points per game (86th in college basketball) and gives up 71.9 per contest (235th in college basketball).

Howard wins the rebound battle by 3.4 boards on average. It collects 32.5 rebounds per game, 130th in college basketball, while its opponents pull down 29.1.

Howard makes 8 three-pointers per game (104th in college basketball) at a 37.7% rate (23rd in college basketball), compared to the 7.2 its opponents make, shooting 33.8% from beyond the arc.

Howard ranks 202nd in college basketball with 93 points scored per 100 possessions, and 97th defensively with 88.6 points conceded per 100 possessions.

At home the Bison are putting up 82.9 points per game, 13.8 more than they are averaging away (69.1).

Kansas Key Players to Watch

Jalen Wilson leads the Jayhawks in scoring and rebounding, accumulating 20.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Dajuan Harris is Kansas’ best passer, dispensing 6.2 assists per game while scoring 8.7 PPG.

The Jayhawks get the most three-point shooting production out of Gradey Dick, who makes 2.3 threes per game.

Harris is Kansas’ leader in steals, averaging 2.1 steals per game, while KJ Adams leads them in blocks with 0.8 per contest.

Howard Key Players to Watch

The Bison’s Elijah Hawkins averages enough points (13 per game) and assists (5.9 per game) to sit atop the squad’s leaderboards.

William Settle grabs 5.7 rebounds per game (he also scores 11 points per game and adds 1.1 assists per game) which puts him at the top of the Howard rebounding leaderboard.

Marcus Dockery knocks down 2.1 three-pointers per game, the most on the Bison.

Howard’s leader in steals is Hawkins (1.7 per game), and its leader in blocks is Settle (0.9 per game).