Columbia vs Harvard Pick – Basketball Predictions & Odds 2/17/23

The Harvard Crimson and the Columbia Lions meet Friday in college basketball action from Levien Gym. Harvard enters this one at 12-12 overall this year. The Crimson lost to Penn in their last game. As for Columbia, they’re 6-19 so far following a loss to Yale last weekend. Check back all season long for free college basketball picks at Sports Chat Place.

Harvard Crimson 

Harvard opened up the year on a 10-6 run for a pretty solid start. The Crimson are just 2-6 in their last eight games, though. The losses in that stretch came versus Yale, Dartmouth, Penn, Yale again, Brown and Penn again. 

In the rematch versus Penn on Saturday, the Crimson were outscored 41-31 by halftime. Harvard got better in the second half with 41 points but still lost 80-72. Chris Ledlum was tops on 19 points and five rebounds. 

Columbia Lions 

Over on the Columbia side, they started out the year on a rough 6-12 stretch. The Lions have continued to struggle since then with losses to Harvard, Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, Princeton and Yale in their last seven games alone. 

On Saturday versus Yale, Columbia trailed 41-36 going into the second half. The Lions were drilled 58-32 the rest of the way and limped to a 99-68 blowout loss. Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa was the top team scorer on 19 points and four rebounds. 

ANDREW’S FREE PICK 

I’ll probably stay with Harvard. That said, I’m probably not touching this one. Both teams have been struggling lately and could use a good showing. Columbia in particular has lost nine straight outings; the good news is that the Lions have managed 65 or more points in six straight games, though. As for Harvard, they put up a 73-51 win at Lavietes Pavilion back on January 14 the last time these teams met up. This rematch might be closer, but I still expect Harvard to stay in control.