Harvard Crimson vs Penn Quakers Matchup

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

Penn vs Harvard Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Quakers and Crimson. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Crimson at Lavietes Pavilion in Cambridge, MA. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this Ivy League conference contest is set at 139.5 points, with Harvard being favored by -6.5 at home against Penn.

Penn vs. Harvard Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Penn Quakers at Harvard Crimson
Where: Cambridge at Lavietes Pavilion
Date: Monday, January 20th
Betting Odds HARVRD -6.5, PENN +218 | HARVRD -275 O/U 139.5

Quakers Preview: Are the Quakers Ready for a Road Win?

Penn Quakers Recent Game

The Quakers dropped to 4-11 on the season after an 86-76 home loss to Cornell on Saturday. Entering the game as +7.5 point underdogs, Penn not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Penn trailed 42-31 at halftime but managed to score 45 points in the second half. However, they allowed 44 points in the final period, preventing a comeback. The total points for the game went over the line of 158.5, with a combined score of 162.

Quakers Offense Breakdown

Ethan Roberts led the way with 26 points, shooting 60.0% from the field and 3/5 from beyond the arc. Cooper Noard added 19 points, hitting 4/6 threes at 66.7%, while Sam Brown contributed 15 points, shooting 75.0% overall and 50.0% from deep.

Penn shot 48.3% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 55.2%. They hit 8/21 threes (38.1%) and went 12/18 from the free-throw line (66.7%). Their offensive rebounding was limited to just 1, but they dished out 15 assists, with Nick Spinoso leading the team with 7 assists.

Quakers Team Defense

Despite Penn's defensive efforts, they allowed 86 points in this one, with their opponent shooting 48% from the field. The Quakers gave up 54% shooting on two-point attempts, with their opponent hitting 20 of 37 shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, Penn's defense allowed 8 made threes on 21 attempts, a 38% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 12, shooting 66%.

Crimson Preview: Can the Crimson Secure a Win at Home?

Harvard Crimson Recent Game/Games

Harvard improved to 5-9 on the season with an 80-67 road win over Brown on Saturday. Entering the game as +4.5 point underdogs, the Crimson not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Harvard led 35-34 at halftime and took control in the second half, outscoring Brown 45-33. The game’s total points of 147 exceeded the over/under line of 136.5.

Crimson Offense Breakdown

Harvard's offense put up 80 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 56.7%, and they hit 11 of 17 free throws (64.7%).

Kino Lilly Jr. led the way with 22 points, hitting 4 of 7 threes, while Chandler Pigge added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Harvard had 17 assists as a team, with 13 offensive rebounds.

Crimson Team Defense

Harvard's defense gave up 67 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 41% from the field on 25 of 60 attempts. They allowed 11 threes on 26 attempts, a 42% shooting rate from beyond the arc.

From the free-throw line, the opposing team went 6 for 11, shooting 54%. Harvard also allowed 18 offensive rebounds.

Quakers vs Crimson Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last three road contests, Penn has a 2-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 0-3, while averaging 63 points per game.
Although Harvard has a straight up record of 3-7 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 4-6. The team averaged 67 points per game in these games.
In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Quakers have a straight up record of 0-3 and an ATS mark of 2-1.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Harvard has an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 6-4 straight up.