Will Kansas Jayhawks cover the spread vs. Manhattan College Friday night in Lawrence?

Shreyas Laddha
·2 min read

The No. 1-ranked University of Kansas men’s basketball team plays host to Manhattan College on Friday.

It’s their first meeting. KU dominated North Carolina Central on Monday, winning 99-56, while the Jaspers narrowly defeated Bryant 61-59 in their season opener.

Below is a scouting report and prediction for the game:

Friday’s game: No. 1 Kansas vs. Manhattan

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

TV/streaming: ESPN+

Opponent’s record: 1-0

KenPom (Ken Pomeroy) Ranking: 325

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

Manhattan Team Strengths

  • Good interior defense: The Jaspers limit opponents to 31.6% shooting inside the arc, ranking eighth in the nation in that statistic.

  • Quality coach: Manhattan is led by first-year coach John Gallagher, who previously coached at Hartford. He led Hartford to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022 before they dropped from Division I to Division III.

  • Swipes: The Jaspers do a good job manufacturing steals, with a 7.1% steal rate. That ranks 61st in the country.

Manhattan Team Weaknesses

  • Roster turnover: The Jaspers have 14 new players and just three returnees.

  • Offensive struggles: Manhattan opened the season with an effective field-goal percentage of 38.9%.

  • Long-ball issues: The Jaspers shot a putrid 6.3% from 3-point range against Bryant.

Manhattan Name to Know

6-foot-8 sophomore forward Daniel Rouzan (No. 23)

+ Great at scoring inside the arc (didn’t attempt a 3-pointer vs. Bryant)

+ Efficient scorer (shot 8-for-13 from the floor)

- Didn’t do much else but score against Bryant

- Not much of a rebounder (two rebounds vs. Bryant)

Game Prediction

This isn’t exactly KU’s most difficult game on the schedule. In fact, the Jaspers might be the easiest opponent Kansas faces all year.

The key to a dominant victory for the Jayhawks? Pack the paint on defense and force perimeter attempts from a team that struggles to shoot from long-distance

KU needs to play with pace and continue to spread the ball around. KU did that well vs. NC Central.

The Jayhawks should win this one easily.

Kansas 84, Manhattan 60

Shreyas’ pick to cover the spread: KU

Shreyas’ season record: 0-0

Shreyas’ record against the spread: 0-0

KU Player to watch: Elmarko Jackson

Guard Elmarko Jackson’s talent is evident any time he’s on the court.

It’s also clear that he’s a freshman. Against NC Central, he picked up three quick fouls in the first half.

This is an important game for Jackson because KU faces Kentucky Tuesday. Jayhawks fans should hope to see a more free-flowing, less in-his-own-head Jackson.

When he stops overthinking (coach Bill Self has been working with him on this), Jackson can put on a show. This game, against a weaker opponent, is an opportunity for him to showcase why he’s a projected lottery pick in multiple mock drafts.