Harvard Crimson vs Princeton Tigers Matchup

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

Princeton vs Harvard Prediction

The Tigers and Crimson are set to face off at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The Crimson will host the game at Lavietes Pavilion in Cambridge, MA. Princeton is favored by -5 in this Ivy League conference contest against Harvard. The game's over/under currently sits at 143.5 points.

Princeton vs. Harvard Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Princeton Tigers at Harvard Crimson
Where: Cambridge at Lavietes Pavilion
Date: Saturday, January 11th
Betting Odds PRNCE -5, PRNCE -230 | HARVRD +190 O/U 143.5

Tigers Preview: Can Princeton Grab a Win on the Road?

Princeton Tigers Recent Game/Games

Princeton improved to 9-4 on the season with a narrow 76-75 win over Akron on Monday. The Tigers were favored by 6.5 points but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 151, just under the O/U line of 154.5.

Princeton trailed 41-30 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Akron 46-34 to secure the win.

Tigers Offense Breakdown

Princeton put up 76 points in their latest game, shooting 49.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.2%. They hit 56.4% of their two-point attempts and 35% from beyond the arc, connecting on 7 of 20 three-point shots.

Free-throw shooting was a struggle for the Tigers, as they made just 61.1% of their attempts, going 11 for 18. Xaivian Lee led the way with 19 points and 4 assists, while Dalen Davis added 18 points and 6 assists despite shooting just 29.4% from the field.

Tigers Team Defense

Princeton's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 75 points on 49% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 56% of their two-point attempts, with 22 made shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, Princeton's opponent shot 35%, connecting on 7 of 20 attempts. The Tigers also sent them to the free-throw line 18 times, where they made 11 shots for 61%.

Crimson Preview: Can the Crimson Lock in a Home Win?

Harvard Crimson Recent Game/Games

Harvard improved to 4-8 on the season with a 67-61 road win over Iona on Sunday. Entering the game as +5.5 point underdogs, the Crimson not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

After a 26-26 tie at halftime, Harvard outscored Iona 41-35 in the second half to secure the win. The game’s total points of 128 fell short of the 139.5 O/U line.

Crimson Offense Breakdown

Harvard's offense put up 67 points in their last game, shooting 45.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.5%. They hit 36.8% of their threes, going 7-for-19, and connected on 52% of their two-point attempts. At the free-throw line, they were 20-for-24, good for 83.3%.

Dejour Reaves led the way with 22 points, shooting 41.2% overall and 40% from three. Thomas Batties and Austin Hunt each added 16 points, with Hunt shooting 55.6% from the field. Tey Barbour contributed 14 points, hitting 3 of 5 threes, while Chandler Pigge also scored 12 points, shooting 62.5% overall and 50% from beyond the arc.

Crimson Team Defense

Harvard's defense was strong, holding their opponent to just 61 points on 34% shooting from the field. They limited two-point shots to 40% (20/49).

From beyond the arc, Harvard's defense was even better, allowing just 3 three-pointers on 18 attempts (16%). They sent their opponent to the line 14 times, where they made 12 free throws (85%).

Tigers vs Crimson Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last three road contests, Princeton has been good against the spread posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 74 points per game.
When looking at their past five home matchups, Harvard has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 67 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Crimson have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-1.
As the betting favorite, the Tigers have an ATS mark of just 3-7 in their last ten games. Princeton posted a straight up mark of 6-4 in these matchups.