The Kansas Jayhawks will open their new season at Allen Fieldhouse against the Howard Bison at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
The Jayhawks had a disappointing year in 2023-24 by their standards. They won 23 games but lost 11 total outings (the most in the Bill Self era) and bowed out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Gonzaga.
Meanwhile, Howard reached its second straight Big Dance last year despite dealing with some serious injury issues. The Bison should compete for a third straight MEAC title this season under Kenneth Blakeney.
Kansas is a 25-point favorite on the spread with a total sitting at 153.
Here’s my Howard vs Kansas predictions and my opening-night college basketball picks.
Howard vs Kansas Prediction
My pick: Kansas 1H -15
My Howard vs Kansas best bet is on the Jayhawks first-half spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Howard vs Kansas Odds, Lines, Pick
| Howard Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+27 -110 | 154.5 -110o / -110u | OFF |
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-27 -110 | 154.5 -110o / -110u | OFF |
- Howard vs Kansas spread: Kansas -27
- Howard vs Kansas over/under: 154.5 points
- Howard vs Kansas best bet: Kansas 1H -15
Spread
I'm targeting the spread, specifically the first-half spread for my pick.
Moneyline
There's zero value on the moneyline.
Over/Under
I'm targeting the first-half spread for my pick.
My pick: Kansas 1H -15
Howard vs Kansas Betting Trends to Know
- 86% of the bets are on Howard to cover the spread, while 90% of the money is on the same side.
- 93% of the bets and 92% of the money is on the under.
Howard vs Kansas Start Time, Channel, Streaming
| Location: | Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS |
| Date: | Monday, November 4 |
| Start Time: | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN+ |
Howard vs Kansas is scheduled for a 8 p.m. ET start time, live from Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, KS, on Monday. The game is live on ESPN+.
Howard vs Kansas College Basketball Betting Preview
Howard Basketball
While forward Seth Towns is out of eligibility and Shy Odom is off to Vermont, the Bison are bringing back two senior all-conference guards in Bryce Harris and Marcus Dockery.
Harris and Dockery will spearhead the offense, as they averaged a combined 30.1 points per game last season while both playing more than 30 minutes a night.
But where Howard will really thrive this season is on defense.
The Bison are going to pressure the ball under Blakeney, hoping to increase the tempo and allow their guards to get out and run on offense. That will result in easy transition buckets and less half-court sets, especially in MEAC play, where the talent level will even out.
Whether that will work against Kansas is to be determined, but it looks rather unlikely.
Kansas Basketball
Many other programs around the country would love 23 wins and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. But for Bill Self and Kansas, that's considered a down season.
The Jayhawks finished just sixth in the Big 12 last season and struggled mightily on the road, including losses in their first five away games in league play.
While Kevin McCullar Jr.’s nagging foot injury was a convenient excuse, the Jayhawks just didn’t have enough depth or shooting on their roster.
So, what did Self do this offseason? He hit the transfer portal hard, specifically looking for more bodies and better shooters.
And the results look good on paper, as the Jayhawks landed AJ Storr (Wisconsin), Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State), Rylan Griffen (Alabama) and David Coit (Northern Illinois) — among others — to go along with their big three of veterans in Hunter Dickinson, Daquan Harris Jr. and KJ Adams Jr.
It doesn’t end there for Kansas, though. Self also reeled in the eighth-ranked recruiting class, according to 247Sports, which features 6-foot-8 big Flory Bidunga.
The Jayhawks have experience, depth, shooting, talent and a hint of youth. It’s the best of all worlds for Self.
Howard vs Kansas Betting Analysis
Howard is a potential NCAA Tournament team again this year out of the MEAC, but the talent disparity in this game is enormous and is giving 1-seed vs. 16-seed vibes.
Add on the home-court advantage, and Kansas should run the Bison out of the building.
Also, from a schematic standpoint, if the Bison think they’re going to pressure Harris 94-feet away from the basket and force him into turnovers, they’re in for a long night. Harris is as steady as they come and won’t be flustered by Howard’s defense.
I'll avoid the potential backdoor, so give me Kansas to cruise in the first half (-15) as it looks for a bounce-back campaign in 2024-25.
