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The Howard Bison and Kansas Jayhawks tussle in a season opener in Lawrence. Tip time in the non-conference tilt at Allen Fieldhouse is slated for 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s college basketball odds around the Howard vs. Kansas odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
Howard went 18-17 and logged an NCAA Tournament appearance a year ago. The Bison put together their best string of games late, going 6-2 in their last 8 regular-season games and then winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.
Kansas, which is No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, has reloaded after a 2023-24 campaign that included a 23-11 mark and a loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks return C Hunter Dickinson, who averaged a double-double last season (17.9 points, 10.9 rebounds), and several other key pieces. And KU has brought in a highly-touted, 6-deep transfer class.
– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll (*-new rankings to be released Monday afternoon)
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Howard at Kansas odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college basketball odds. Lines last updated at 9 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Howard +3000 (bet $100 to win $3,000) | Kansas -10000 (bet $10,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Howard +25.5 (-104) | Kansas -25.5 (-118)
- Over/Under (O/U): 152.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Howard at Kansas picks and predictions
Prediction
Kansas 88, Howard 66
Moneyline
No interest: PASS.
Against the spread
Kansas went 5-9-1 across 15 non-conference games last season. The Jayhawks had 3 November opponents of this ilk last fall (Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota State, Southern Utah), and KU went 0-3 ATS in those games at Allen Fieldhouse.
Howard went 3-1 ATS over its first 4 games in 2023-24. Most pieces are back from a good 3-point-shooting squad. That includes leading scorer G Bryce Harris, who averaged 16.6 points and 7.5 rebounds. As a team, the Bison were solid on the offensive glass and in getting to the free-throw line.
Look for HU be overmatched but not overwhelmed in this one. And with what the Bison do well, they are a value to land on a final deficit closer to the 20- to 24-point range. Kansas will be fitting a lot of new pieces together in different rotations. And KU could get caught looking past HU and more toward an impending Friday tilt with No. 10 North Carolina. Or it could save minutes and sets for that game against UNC.
BACK THE BISON +25.5 (-104).
Over/Under
The Over went 4-1 across Howard’s first 5 games last season.
Expect a faster-than-average tempo in this season opener, and peg the OVER 152.5 (-110) with just a slight lean.
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