Columbia Lions vs Princeton Tigers Matchup

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

Columbia vs Princeton Prediction

Planning on watching today's Lions and Tigers game? Catch the action at Jadwin Gymnasium in Princeton, NJ, as the Tigers hosts this showdown at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 153.5 points, and Princeton is favored by -7.5 vs. Columbia in a Ivy League conference matchup.

Columbia vs. Princeton Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Columbia Lions at Princeton Tigers
Where: Princeton at Jadwin Gymnasium
Date: Monday, January 20th
Betting Odds PRNCE -7.5, COLMB +225 | PRNCE -283 O/U 153.5

Lions Preview: Will the Lions Defense Show Up in Princeton?

Columbia Lions Recent Game/Games

Columbia fell to 9-4 on the season after a 92-88 home loss to Yale on Saturday. Despite being +7.5 point underdogs, the Lions kept it close and covered the spread.

Columbia led 40-39 at halftime but allowed 53 points in the 2nd half while scoring 48. The game’s total points of 180 went over the pre-game O/U line of 152.5.

Lions Offense Breakdown

Columbia put up 88 points in their last game, shooting 43.5% from the field and hitting 11 of 34 threes at a 32.4% rate. Their effective field goal percentage was 52.2%, and they were strong from the free-throw line, making 81% of their attempts (17/21).

John Poulakidas led the way with 29 points, hitting 6 of 12 from beyond the arc. Avery Brown added 21 points, while Nick Townsend contributed 20 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field.

Lions Team Defense

Columbia's defense struggled, giving up 92 points on 43% shooting from the field. The Lions allowed 54% shooting on two-point attempts, with their opponents hitting 19 of 35 shots.

From beyond the arc, Columbia's opponents shot 32%, making 11 of 34 threes. The Lions also sent them to the line 21 times, where they converted 17 free throws, an 81% rate. Columbia gave up 8 offensive rebounds.

Tigers Preview: Do the Tigers Stand a Chance at Home?

Princeton Tigers Recent Game/Games

The Tigers improved to 11-4 on the season with a narrow 81-80 win over Dartmouth on Saturday. Despite being -7 favorites, Princeton didn’t cover the spread, but they did pick up the win on the road.

Princeton trailed 41-38 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, outscoring Dartmouth 43-39. The game’s total points of 161 exceeded the pre-game O/U line of 148.

Tigers Offense Breakdown

Princeton's offense put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 47% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 56.1%. They connected on 12 of 28 three-point attempts, hitting 42.9% from deep, and shot 87.5% from the free-throw line, making 7 of 8 attempts.

Xavien Lee led the way with 33 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 63.2% overall and 60% from three-point range. Ryan Cornish added 20 points in 21 minutes, while Caden Pierce contributed 19 points and 12 rebounds, also dishing out 7 assists.

Tigers Team Defense

Princeton's defense gave up 80 points, with their opponent shooting 45% from the field, hitting 26 of 57 shots. Inside the arc, they allowed 16 of 35 two-point attempts, also at a 45% clip.

From three-point range, Princeton's opponent connected on 10 of 22 shots, again shooting 45%. They were also efficient from the free-throw line, making 18 of 20 attempts for 90%. Princeton limited them to 3 offensive rebounds.

Lions vs Tigers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five games away from home, the Lions have a straight up record of 3-2 while going 1-4 vs the spread. The team averaged 77 points per game in this stretch.
Although Princeton has a straight up record of 4-1 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 2-3. The team averaged 74 points per game in these games.
Through their last three games as the betting underdog, the Lions have a strong record vs the spread going 2-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 1-2.
As the betting favorite, the Tigers have an ATS mark of just 2-8 in their last ten games. Princeton posted a straight up mark of 6-4 in these matchups.