The fourth-seeded Kansas Jayhawks will look to overcome a number of injuries as they take on the 13th-seeded Samford Bulldogs in the first round of the Midwest Region of the 2024 NCAA Tournament in Salt Lake City on Thursday. The Jayhawks (22-10), who are competing in their 51st NCAA Tournament, have made 31 Sweet 16 appearances, 15 Final Fours, and have won six national championships, including four in this format. The Bulldogs (29-5), who were 0-2 in two previous NCAA Tournament appearances, won both the Southern Conference regular season and tournament titles.
Tipoff from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City is set for 9:55 p.m. ET. The Jayhawks are 7.5-point favorites in the latest Samford vs. Kansas odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 153. Before making any Kansas vs. Samford picks, you need to check out the college basketball analysis from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Div. I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Kansas vs. Samford. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for Samford vs. Kansas:
- Kansas vs. Samford spread: Kansas -7.5
- Kansas vs. Samford over/under: 153 points
- Kansas vs. Samford money line: Samford +238, Kansas -297
- SAM: The Bulldogs have hit the first-half money line in 28 of their last 31 games (+24.60 units)
- KAN: The Jayhawks have hit the team total under in seven of their last 10 games (+3.70 units)
- Kansas vs. Samford picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Kansas can cover
Senior center Hunter Dickinson is expected back after suffering a shoulder injury in a loss to Houston on March 9. The Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and All-Big 12 first-team selection is averaging 18 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 31 games. The fourth-year transfer from Michigan was the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year. For his career, he has started 120 of 125 games and is averaging 17.4 points, nine rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 blocks in 30.7 minutes.
Freshman guard Johnny Furphy has made a solid impression in his first year at the collegiate level. In 31 games, including 17 starts, he is averaging 8.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 23.5 minutes. He was an All-Big 12 honorable mention and Big 12 All-Freshman team selection this season. Furphy has scored 10 or more points 13 times and surpassed 20 points once. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why Samford can cover
After losing back-to-back games to Purdue and VCU to start the season, the Bulldogs won 29 of their next 32 games en route to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000. Junior forward Achor Achor powers the Samford attack and is coming off a pair of dominant performances. In the Southern Conference semifinals against Furman, he poured in 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in an 84-77 win on March 10. He followed that up with a 25-point and nine-rebound effort in a 76-69 win over East Tennessee State in the title game. In 32 games, all starts, he is averaging 15.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.5 assists.
Also helping lead the Bulldogs is junior guard A.J. Staton-McCray. He has started 27 of 30 games this season, averaging 11.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.2 assists in 21.1 minutes. He has reached double-digit scoring in 18 games, including a season-high 29 points in an 89-74 win over Chattanooga on Jan. 3. He is connecting on 44.4% of his field goals, including 42% from 3-point range, and 83.5% from the foul line. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Samford vs. Kansas picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 155 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.
So who wins Kansas vs. Samford, and which side of the spread hits over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 148-106 roll on its top-rated college basketball picks, and find out.
