Will the Kansas Jayhawks cover the spread vs. Yale Friday night? Here’s a prediction

The No. 2-ranked University of Kansas men’s basketball team will play host to an Ivy League foe — the Yale Bulldogs — on Friday evening at Allen Fieldhouse.

The Jayhawks (10-1) defeated Indiana last Saturday, while the Bulldogs beat Quinnipiac on Dec. 11.

KU is 3-0 all-time vs. Yale.

Below is a scouting report and prediction for the game.

No. 2 Kansas vs. Yale

When/where: 7 p.m., Allen Fieldhouse

TV/Streaming: ESPN+

Opponent’s record: 7-5

KenPom (Ken Pomeroy) Ranking: 110

Betting line: Kansas is a 14.5-point favorite.

All statistics are from KenPom.com, Hoop-Math.com and EvanMiya. KenPom stats only include Division I competition.

Yale Team Strengths

• Free-throw makers: Yale ranks No. 44 overall in free-throw percentage (75.7). In comparison, Kansas ranks 186th.

• Few turnovers: The Bulldogs do an excellent job of taking care of the ball, ranking No. 27 in turnover percentage (14.4).

• Block-avoidance: Yale also does a great job of avoiding blocked shots, ranking No.26 overall in offensive block percentage (6.1).

Yale Team Weaknesses

• Lack of 3-point shooting: Like Kansas, the Bulldogs don’t attempt a lot of 3-pointers. Yale ranks No. 281 in 3-point rate (33.3%). Meanwhile, KU ranks No. 321 in the same category (30.3%)

• No bench contributors: Coach James Jones doesn’t use his bench much, with Yale ranking No. 283 in bench minutes (26.9%).

• Lack of experience: The Bulldogs rank No. 226 in Division I experience (1.63 years).

Yale Name to Know

7–foot sophomore forward Danny Wolf (No. 1):

+ Quality scorer (13.4 ppg)

+ Nine straight games with double-digit points

+ At least five rebounds in last four games

+ Good rebounder overall (avg. 9 per game)

- Poor free-throw shooter (50%)

- Turns the ball over (2 turnovers per game)

Tale of the Tape

Yale loves to up the pace after a turnover. More often than not, they’ll take it straight to the rim: 57.9% of their shots in transition come at the bucket. Here, Yale steals the ball, saves it from going out of bounds and sets up an quick basket by Bez Mbeng.

The Jayhawks need to do a better job of taking care of the ball overall. If they do turn it over, they need to form a wall around the rim to prevent the Bulldogs from scoring off easy transition opportunities.

Game Prediction

Bill Self-coached KU teams have a 15-5 record in games played as the final game before Christmas.

Expect that mark to improve Friday.

The Jayhawks will need to limit turnovers and avoid fouling, as Yale does a great job of making free throws.

Another big thing to watch is how freshmen Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell play. They figure to see elevated minutes with Johnny Furphy out with an excused absence.

I expect a Jayhawks win.

Kansas 78, Yale 65

Shreyas’ pick to cover the spread: Yale (+14.5)

Shreyas’ season record: 7-2

Shreyas’ record against the spread: 7-2

KU Player to watch: Dajuan Harris

In KU’s win over Indiana, Harris finished with 12 points, including two 3-pointers. And coach Bill Self says that’s the Dajuan Harris KU needs to see.

Now Harris gets a chance to showcase his aggressiveness on offense against Yale. As Self indicated, KU is at its best when Harris is unafraid to shoot the ball.