Samford (13) vs. Kansas (4) Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
The Jayhawks finished their campaign pegged at No. 17 on the AP Top 25 rankings despite their recent woes, which include four losses against the spread and a lopsided 72-52 loss to Cincinnati in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament. The Bulldogs ride a four-game win streak into their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000. In addition to finishing atop the Southern Conference standings with a 15-3 record, the Bulldogs dominated at the SoCon Tournament with three straight wins by an average margin of nine points.
The Jayhawks have been pegged as 7.5-point favourites on the First Round odds and -115 odds favour the total going OVER 153.5.
Samford vs. Kansas NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The Bulldogs are making just their third all-time appearance at the NCAA Tournament and their second straight as a 13-seed. Samford fell to defeat in their previous two March Madness appearances, losing by double-digit margins in each of those outings. While this team has racked up 50 total wins since the beginning of last season, they have faltered at the sportsbook in recent weeks, covering in just three of eight outings. In addition, they have gone just 3-5 SU and ATS in their past eight as underdogs and have lost outright in 17 straight dates with nationally ranked opponents, highlighted by a 98-45 demolition at the hands of Purdue in November.
The Jayhawks have struggled to score during their current 1-4 slide, and have averaged a dismal 49 points per game in their past two outings. Kansas also sports a middling 5-4 record in their past nine March Madness games when not pegged as a top seed. However, this team remains a defensive force, ranked 10th at KenPom in adjusted defensive efficiency, and have won outright in 20 of 23 while favoured by at least seven points.
Samford Bulldogs (13)
Jermaine Marshall is coming off his best performance of the season, coming off the bench to score 23 points and eight rebounds in just 21 minutes of action in the team’s berth-clinching 76-69 win over East Tennessee State last weekend. However, junior big man Achor Achor remains key to Samford’s hopes after leading the squad with 15.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and racking up and scoring at least 20 points in four of six outings.
Kansas Jayhawks (4)
Injuries played a big role in the Jayhawks’ quick exit from the Big 12 Tournament and remain a major concern entering Thursday’s action. The Jayhawks lost Kevin McCullar Jr. for the season with a knee injury prior to ending their schedule with a brutal 76-46 loss to top-ranked Houston. In addition, senior big man Hunter Dickinson, who led the squad with 10.8 rebounds per game and finished second with 18.0 points per game, also missed the loss to Houston with a shoulder injury that leaves his status uncertain for Thursday night.
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