Columbia Lions vs Harvard Crimson Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Harvard vs Columbia NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in New York.

Harvard vs Columbia Prediction

Planning on watching today's Crimson and Lions game? Catch the action at Levien Gymnasium in New York, NY, as the Lions hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on SNY. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 147.5 points, and Columbia is favored by -5.5 to win at home against Harvard.

Harvard vs. Columbia Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Harvard Crimson at Columbia Lions
Where: New York at Levien Gymnasium
Date: Friday, January 31st
Betting Odds COLMB -5.5, HARVRD +188 | COLMB -233 O/U 147.5

Crimson Preview: Will Harvard Make it Happen on the Road?

Harvard Crimson Recent Game/Games

Harvard dropped to 5-11 on the season after a tough 84-55 road loss to Yale on Saturday. The Crimson, who entered the game as +13.5 point underdogs, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Trailing 45-26 at halftime, Harvard couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 29 points while allowing 39. The game’s total points (139) fell just under the O/U line of 143.5.

Crimson Offense Breakdown

Harvard struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 55 points on 36.7% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 43.3%, and they hit only 27.6% of their three-point attempts, going 8-for-29 from deep.

Nick Townsend led the way with 22 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 54.5% from the field and hitting his only three-point attempt. John Poulakidas added 15 points, connecting on 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, while Chandler Pigge contributed 13 points, hitting 3-of-8 from three-point range.

Crimson Team Defense

Harvard’s defense gave up 84 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field on 27 of 63 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 19 of 43 shooting for 44%.

From three-point range, the other team hit 8 of 20 shots, good for 40%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 29 times, where they converted 22 for 75%. Harvard allowed 18 offensive rebounds.

Lions Preview: Will the Lions Live Up to Expectations at Home?

Columbia Lions Recent Game/Games

The Lions fell to 9-6 on the season after a 93-78 loss to Penn on Saturday. Columbia, who were -3 favorites going into the game, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 171, surpassing the O/U line of 152.5.

Columbia trailed 44-42 at halftime but struggled defensively in the second half, allowing 49 points while scoring just 36. The Lions will need to tighten up their defense as they look to bounce back in their next game.

Lions Offense Breakdown

Columbia's offense put up 78 points in their last game, shooting 46.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55%. They hit 47.6% from beyond the arc, connecting on 10 of 21 attempts, while struggling at the free-throw line, making just 63.2% of their 19 attempts. The Lions managed only 5 offensive rebounds and dished out 11 assists as a team.

Sam Brown led the way with 30 points, shooting 75% overall and hitting 8 of 10 from deep. Avery Brown added 19 points, and Kenny Noland contributed 16 points and 6 assists. Ethan Roberts chipped in 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, despite shooting just 30.8% from the field.

Lions Team Defense

Columbia's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 93 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 50% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable from beyond the arc, where they allowed 18 threes on 35 attempts, a 51% shooting performance.

At the free-throw line, Columbia sent their opponents to the stripe 26 times, where they converted 21 free throws, shooting 80%. The Lions also gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Crimson vs Lions Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Harvard has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 67 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
When looking at their past five home matchups, Columbia has an ATS record of 1-4 while averaging 72 per game. The team went 1-4 overall in these games.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Crimson have gone 5-5 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 3-7.
Spanning across their last three games as the betting favorite, the Lions have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.