Pennsylvania Quakers AT Harvard Crimson
Mar 4, 2011 at 7 PM EST
Opening Line: Harvard -10
Current Line: Harvard -10
Opening Total: 132
Current Total: 132
Opening Moneyline: Har -600 / Penn +475
Current Moneyline: Har -600 / Penn +400
This matchup of a middle of the road team in the Pennsylvania Quakers with the second best team in the Ivy league in Harvard, is not expected to be that close according to college basketball oddsmakers. Harvard (21-5) is 10-2 in Ivy league play and Pennsylvania (12-13) is 6-5 in Ivy League play.
The Harvard Crimson just had a 6 game win streak snapped by Yale on February 26th, where Yale came back from being down by 5 with 6 minutes to go. They had a chance to win the game but Brandyn Curry missed the winning layup with a second to go.
Some betting trends:
Pennsylvania is 2-7 SU in their last 9 games on the road and the total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pennsylvania’s last 5 games on the road. Pennsylvania is 6-2 SU in their last 8 games on the road against Harvard.
Harvard is 2-6 ATS In their last 8 games and they are 14-2 SU in their last 16 games. Harvard is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home and they are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against Pennsylvania. Harvard is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games against Penn and they are 5-13 SU in their last 18 games against Pennsylvania. The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Harvard’s last 9 games against the Quakers and Harvard is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games at home against Pennsylvania and the Big Red are 2-6 SU in their last 8 at home against Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania is led by the quartet of Zach Rosen, Jack Eggleston, Tyler Bernardini, and Miles Cartwright. The four combine to average 52.2 points per game, 78% of the Quakers total scoring. Jack Eggleston, a 6’8″ senior forward, leads Pennsylvania in minutes played with 38.3 minutes per game, and is second in scoring with 14.4 points per game. He has scored in double figures in all but 5 games, and Pennsylvania is 2-3 when he failes to reach double figures. Eggleston went 11 of 15 from the floor in 39 minutes of play last game against Brown, ending up with 25 points and 12 rebounds. Rosen, a 6’1″ junior point guard, averages a team best 14.5 points per game and a team best 5.4 assists per game. His best game came in a 1 point loss to Harvard when he scored 21 points and dished out 13 assists. Last game against Brown he played 39 minutes and went for 13 points and 5 assists.
Harvard has a 6 man rotation in which all 6 players make significant contributions offensively, averaging between 8.9 points per game and 15.6. Keith Wright, a 6’8″ junior forward, leads the way in scoring with 15.6 points per game. He also grabs 8.6 rebounds per game and contributes 1.6 blocks on the defensive end. In games that he blocks 2 or more shots, Harvard is 8-1. He has scored in double figures in all but 3 games, and in those 3 games Harvard is 3-0. Christian Webster is 2nd on the team in scoring with 13.8 points per game. He is a deadly three point shooter (40.4% on 42 of 104 shooting) and has scored in double figures in all but 4 games, 3 of which Harvard won. Webster had 22 in the loss to Yale last game.
Harvard are big favorites, as they should be. They have had a great season and should be ready to try to make waves in a couple weeks in the NCAA Tournament.
