The Cornell Big Red take on the Princeton Tigers. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Cornell Princeton prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Cornell Princeton.
The college basketball season has been unpredictable and not in line with a lot of preseason predictions and expectations. Consider the Ivy League. Yale was a popular preseason pick to win the conference, but at the start of February, these two teams — Cornell and Princeton — lead the conference and will play for first place. Both sides are 5-2, one game ahead of 4-3 Yale and 4-3 Dartmouth, with Harvard trailing the pack at 3-4.
Cornell and Princeton are both on similar trajectories. They lead the Ivy League but have not dominated the conference. They have both won a modest three of five. Cornell recently lost to Harvard. Princeton, in its most recent game this past weekend, was shredded by 22 points against Yale, 87-65. These two teams met four weeks ago on January 7 on Cornell's home floor. Princeton won, 75-68, thanks to a 41-point second half and 49-percent field goal shooting which overcame 18 Princeton turnovers. If Princeton can sweep the series, it would win a head-to-head tiebreaker should these teams finish with the same conference record at the end of the regular season.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Cornell-Princeton College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Cornell-Princeton Odds
Cornell Big Red: +2.5 (-102)
Princeton Tigers: -2.5 (-120)
Over: 157.5 (-110)
Under: 157.5 (-110)
How To Watch Cornell vs. Princeton
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET, 2:00 p.m. PT
*Watch Cornell-Princeton LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Cornell Could Cover the Spread
The Big Red forced 18 turnovers against Princeton the last time these teams met in early January. The odds of Princeton shooting 49 percent and being very efficient on its non-turnover offensive possessions are low. One should expect Princeton to absorb some regression to the mean and shoot closer to 40 percent than 49. That difference, should it emerge in this game, would be substantial. It would definitely enable Cornell to cover. Keep in mind that Cornell is an outright underdog in this game. The Big Red could lose by two points and still cover the spread.
What also has to be noted is that Princeton looked terrible in its most recent game against Yale, falling by 22 points. Princeton might not be as strong as previously thought. Cornell, intent not only on getting revenge but (primarily) on moving into sole possession of first place in the Ivy League, will be extremely energetic and ready to play a better, stronger defensive game than what it showed against Princeton four weeks ago.
Why Princeton Could Cover the Spread
The Tigers committed 18 turnovers against Cornell, on the road, and yet still beat the Big Red by seven whole points in the previous meeting between these teams. The chances of Princeton committing another 18 turnovers against the same opponent are low. If Princeton commits 12 or 13 turnovers, that's not amazing or incredible, but it would represent an improvement of five or six fewer turnovers. In a game which figures to be close, getting five or six extra (non-wasted) possessions feels like a significant difference.
If you're worried about the 22-point loss to Yale, keep in mind that Yale has played better basketball in recent weeks. That result says more about Yale finally playing up to expectations, not Princeton failing to live up to expectations. Learn the right lesson from that result.
Final Cornell-Princeton Prediction & Pick
Stay away from this game. There's too much uncertainty surrounding each team's results and what they really mean. Sit this one out.
Final Cornell-Princeton Prediction & Pick: Princeton -2.5
Follow Us
Subscribe