Samford vs. Kansas Picks, Odds, Starting Lineups For the 2024 March Madness Round of 64
The Samford Bulldogs will take on the Kansas Jayhawks on Thursday night in Salt Lake City as part of the Round of 64. Can Achor Achor and the Bulldogs stun Hunter Dickinson and the Jayhawks in the opening round? Let's take a look at the latest odds and starting lineups for Samford vs. Kansas in the Round of 64.
Peter Alexis - March 21, 2024, 7:00 PM EDT
7 minSamford vs. Kansas Picks, Odds, Starting Lineups For the 2024 March Madness Round of 64
The 2024 March Madness bracket is already underway, and it's time to get into the teeth of the matchups on Thursday evening. The Kansas Jayhawks will tip their postseason off with a big test against the the Samford Bulldogs.
The Kansas Jayhawks sit in a precarious situation on Thursday night, missing arguably their best all-around player. Kevin McCullar Jr. has been shut down for the tournament after a recurring knee issue involving a bone bruise, and it has torn apart the core of the Kansas lineup.
They've been underachieving all year, and are now in danger of getting bounced at the hands of a mid-major in the Round of 64. It certainly wasn't the vision Kansas fans expected for their preseason top-10 team. Will the Jayhawks be able to survive the first round without McCullar, or will the fast-paced Bulldogs hand this blue blood an opening night upset? Let's take a look at the latest odds for Samford vs. Kansas, and examine their starting lineups for the First Four battle in Dayton.
Samford vs. Kansas Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds
- Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024
- Start Time: 9:55 pm ET
- Where to Watch: TBS
Click here for Samford vs. Kansas odds
Samford vs. Kansas Odds and Betting Data
Team | Spread | Moneyline | Implied Chance |
|---|---|---|---|
Samford Bulldogs | +7.5 (-110) | +230 | 30.3% |
Kansas Jayhawks | -7.5 (-110) | -285 | 74% |
The Jayhawks were as high as 8.5-point favorites, a line that has crashed as low as 6.5 in some spots after the McCullar injury update. He and Hunter Dickinson were originally only expected to miss the Big 12 Tournament to rest up for the NCAA's, but only Dickinson will return now, causing a major change in the odds.
Still, Kansas is a moderate favorite in this Round of 64 matchup, sitting with -320 odds on the moneyline to get a win and move on. This implies a 76% shot to win and advance to the Round of 32, and they'll have to lean on K.J. Adams and Hunter Dickinson to get it done.
On the other side, Samford is a bit of an underdog with +255 odds. They hold a 28% chance to upset the Jayhawks which doesn't sound like much, but with the spread continuing to fall, they certainly have a solid shot. Achor Achor will try to lift the Bulldogs to an underdog victory.
Samford vs. Kansas Prediction
The Samford Bulldogs have an electrifying offensive game. They rank 12th in pace of play, 8th in 3-point percentage, and 7th in effective field goal percentage. They know how to score the rock, and they are coming at you fast from all corners of the floor.
When they are done scoring, they'll turn around and pick your pocket. The Bulldogs are 17th in the nation in steals, playing into their up-tempo game plan and building leads with fast break points off turnovers. The Jayhawks already average over 16 turnovers a game, something that has gotten worse over the last month of play. If the Kansas bench players are sloppy with the ball, they will be in a world of trouble in the early going.
Samford is definitely one of the more popular upset picks, but it's for good reason. They are going against a wounded Jayhawks squad that just lost back-to-back games by 20+ points, something unheard of in the Bill Self era. This isn't a Kansas squad of old, and the lack of depth may be disastrous for them. The Bulldogs have the offensive firepower to keep this close, and if they start hot from three-point land, it will be the Jayhawks trying to chase after them all night.
Samford vs. Kansas Prediction: Samford +7.5 (-110) (Bet $110 to collect $210) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
Samford vs. Kansas Projected Lineups
Samford projected lineup:
- F: Achor Achor
- F: Jermaine Marshall
- G: Dallas Graziani
- G: Jaden Campbell
- G: Rylan Jones
Kansas projected lineup:
- C: Hunter Dickinson
- G: Johnny Furphy
- G: Dajuan Harris Jr.
- G: K.J. Adams Jr.
- G: Elmarko Jackson
Samford March Madness Odds
The Samford Bulldogs are here to make some noise and have fun, but they will not be serious tournament contenders. A successful March Madness would entail them upsetting Kansas and potentially going as far as the Sweet 16. Their overall tournament odds are back at +100000 for a reason.
Kansas March Madness Odds
The Kansas Jayhawks came into the season with high hopes of a deep tournament run. Several stars from their 2022 National Championship team were back for one last ride, and they added Hunter Dickinson down low. But the team hasn't panned out as expected, and now faces longshot odds of +5500 as they stumble into the tournament. If they survive against Samford, they have an explosive Gonzaga team and an angry Purdue squad to deal with. Don't take the Jayhawks to go deep this time around, tradition can only carry you so far.
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