Akron Zips vs Ball State Cardinals Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Ball State vs Akron NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Akron.

Ball State vs Akron Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Cardinals and Zips. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Zips at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, OH. Get ready to place your bets! This Mid-American conference matchup has an over/under of 157 points, and Akron is favored to win by -14 at home vs. Ball State.

Ball State vs. Akron Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Ball State Cardinals at Akron Zips
Where: Akron at James A. Rhodes Arena
Date: Tuesday, February 4th
Betting Odds AKRON -14, BALLST +670 | AKRON -1075 O/U 157

Cardinals Preview: Can Ball State Secure a Road Victory?

Ball State Cardinals Recent Game/Games

Ball State improved to 7-11 on the season with an 89-76 win over Buffalo on Saturday, February 1st. The Cardinals were -2.5 favorites going into the game and covered the spread. The total points for the game reached 165, surpassing the pre-game O/U line of 153.5.

Ball State took control early, leading 45-32 at halftime. They matched Buffalo’s 44 points in the second half to maintain their lead and secure the win.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

Ball State put up 89 points in their last game, shooting 46% from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 50.8%, and they connected on 71.4% of their free throws, going 25/35 from the line.

Payton Sparks led the way with 27 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 52.6% from the field. Mickey Pearson Jr. added 19 points, hitting 3 of 4 from deep, while Jermahri Hill contributed 18 points and 3 assists.

Cardinals Team Defense

Ball State's defense gave up 76 points in their last game, despite holding the opposing team to just 38% shooting from the field. They allowed 25 made field goals on 65 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Ball State's defense allowed 8 threes on 39 attempts, a 20% shooting performance. The opposing team also went 18/19 from the free-throw line, shooting 94%.

Zips Preview: Does Akron Have a Shot at a Home Win?

Akron Zips Recent Game/Games

Akron improved to 14-5 on the season with an 85-71 win over Kent State on Friday. The Zips, who went into the game as +3.5 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Akron took control early, leading 48-31 at halftime. While they allowed 40 points in the second half, they still managed to score 37 points of their own. The game’s total points of 156 went over the pre-game line of 144.5.

Zips Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, the Zips put up 85 points, shooting 47.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55.7%. They connected on 11 of 27 threes, hitting 40.7% from deep, and went 18 for 34 on two-point attempts, shooting 52.9% inside the arc. At the free-throw line, they made 16 of 22, good for 72.7%.

Jalen Sullinger and Nate Johnson both scored 23 points, with Johnson adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Tavari Johnson contributed 15 points and 5 assists, shooting 66.7% from the field and hitting 2 of 3 from three-point range. James Okonkwo grabbed 13 rebounds and scored 11 points, while Seth Wilson also added 11 points, making 3 of 5 threes.

Zips Team Defense

Akron's defense held their opponent to 71 points on 34% shooting from the field, including 42% from two-point range with 16 made baskets on 38 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Akron limited their opponent to 6 threes on 25 attempts, a 24% shooting performance. They also sent them to the line 25 times, where they hit 21 free throws, an 84% rate. Akron allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

Cardinals vs Zips Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last three road contests, Ball State has been good against the spread posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 79 points per game.
In their last ten games at home, the Zips have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 78 points per game in this stretch.
Going back to their last five games as the underdog, the Cardinals have a straight up record of 2-3. But, their mark vs the spread was just 2-3.
As the betting favorite, the Zips have an ATS mark of just 7-3 in their last ten games. Akron posted a straight up mark of 10-0 in these matchups.