Halftime Report

Columbia and the Crimson have shown up to the match, but their offenses sure haven't. Columbia has jumped out to a quick 41-33 lead against the Crimson.

Columbia came into the match with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.

Who's Playing

Columbia Lions @ Harvard Crimson

Current Records: Columbia 10-7, Harvard 10-7

How To Watch

What to Know

Harvard is 9-1 against the Lions since February of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. Both teams will face off in an Ivy battle at 7:00 p.m. ET at Lavietes Pavilion.

It's hard to win when you make seven fewer threes than your opponent, a fact Harvard found out the hard way on Saturday. They took a 78-65 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Bulldogs. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Harvard in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now lost five in a row.

Meanwhile, Columbia finally caught a break after three consecutive losses. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Quakers on Saturday and snuck past 84-81. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory Columbia has posted against the Quakers since February 22, 2019.

The Crimson have not been sharp recently as the team's lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 10-7 record this season. As for the Lions, their win bumped their record up to an identical 10-7.

Going forward, Harvard is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by six points. For those looking to play the spread, careful betting on Harvard: they have a less-than-stellar 6-10 record against the spread this season.

Harvard strolled past the Lions when the teams last played back in February of 2023 by a score of 83-65. Will Harvard repeat their success, or do the Lions have a better game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.

Odds

Harvard is a solid 6-point favorite against Columbia, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Crimson as a 5-point favorite.


The over/under is set at 149.5 points.

See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

Harvard has won 9 out of their last 10 games against Columbia.

  • Feb 17, 2023 - Harvard 83 vs. Columbia 65
  • Jan 14, 2023 - Harvard 73 vs. Columbia 51
  • Feb 18, 2022 - Harvard 62 vs. Columbia 54
  • Jan 15, 2022 - Harvard 91 vs. Columbia 82
  • Feb 28, 2020 - Harvard 77 vs. Columbia 69
  • Feb 15, 2020 - Harvard 77 vs. Columbia 73
  • Mar 09, 2019 - Harvard 83 vs. Columbia 81
  • Feb 08, 2019 - Harvard 98 vs. Columbia 96
  • Mar 03, 2018 - Harvard 93 vs. Columbia 74
  • Feb 02, 2018 - Columbia 83 vs. Harvard 76