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Samford Bulldogs vs KU Prediction & Picks - NCAA Basketball
by Dan Angell | in NCAA Basketball Picks
The Kansas Jayhawks (22-10 SU, 13-18 ATS) open the NCAA tournament against a dangerous smaller opponent, the Samford Bulldogs (29-5 SU, 18-14 ATS). The Jayhawks already were struggling down the stretch, losing their final two games by a combined 50 points to Houston and Cincinnati. They got worse news on Tuesday when coach Bill Self announced that point guard Kevin McCullar Jr. would miss the entire tournament with injury.
Even before that news came out, Samford has been the kind of team that has given Kansas fits all year. The Bulldogs play fast and shoot the ball very well, with all of their starters a threat to score. Samford doesn’t rely on any one player to put up points; the Bulldogs think any good look is worth taking. They also create a lot of possessions off steals, which Kansas has proven vulnerable against.
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Samford Bulldogs vs KU Form
Samford Bulldogs and KU Latest Matches
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Samford Bulldogs - KU Key Points
- Samford has never won an NCAA tournament game.
- Samford has never won an NCAA tournament game.
- Kansas coach Bill Self is 22-2 SU in the NCAA tournament’s first round.
- Kansas was 5-11 ATS away from Allen Fieldhouse this season.
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Our Samford Bulldogs vs KU Prediction
With Hunter Dickinson a question mark, there's a lot to worry about with Kansas. Even if he's healthy, something has seemed off about the Jayhawks all season long. Kansas' best chance in this game is to defend the perimeter and clear away Samford misses with Dickinson inside. If he's fully recovered, Kansas should own the paint. If he's hurt, the Jayhawks' rebounding advantage isn't as pronounced.
Samford's pressing style and shooting ability can create major problems for Kansas. Without McCullar, Kansas doesn't really have quality ball handling to deal with the Bulldogs' quick pace and aggressive defense. At full strength, Kansas would probably be the pick here. But with Bill Self putting out a patchwork lineup that never really jelled, the upset is very much in play. Our prediction for Samford vs. Kansas: Samford +7.5 at BetMGM.
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
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