Akron Zips vs Bowling Green Falcons Matchup

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

Akron vs Bowling Green Prediction

Betting on today's Zips and Falcons game? Catch the action at Stroh Center in Bowling Green, OH, as the Falcons hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on CBSS. In this Mid-American matchup, Akron is favored bt -5.5 vs. Bowling Green. The over/under for the game is 154.5 points.

Akron vs. Bowling Green Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Akron Zips at Bowling Green Falcons
Where: Bowling Green at Stroh Center
Date: Friday, January 3rd
Betting Odds AKRON -5.5, AKRON -242 | BOWLGR +194 O/U 154.5

Zips Preview: Do the Zips Stand a Chance in Bowling Green?

Akron dropped to 5-5 on the season after a narrow 76-75 loss to Princeton on Monday. The Zips, who entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs, managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 151, just under the O/U line of 154.5.

Akron led 41-30 at halftime but struggled defensively in the 2nd half, allowing 46 points while scoring 34. This collapse in the 2nd half was a key factor in their loss.

Zips Offense Breakdown

Akron put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 42.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 46.9%. They hit 48.8% of their two-point attempts and connected on just 30.4% from beyond the arc, making 7 of 23 threes. At the free-throw line, they were efficient, hitting 82.4% on 14 of 17 shooting.

Xaivian Lee led the way with 19 points, shooting 52.9% overall and adding 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Dalen Davis contributed 18 points despite shooting just 29.4%, and James Okonkwo grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with his 15 points. Akron finished with 10 offensive rebounds and 9 assists as a team.

Zips Team Defense

Akron's defense gave up 76 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 49% from the field, hitting 29 of 59 shots. Inside the arc, Akron allowed 22 of 39 two-point attempts to fall, a 56% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Akron's defense conceded 7 of 20 shots, with opponents shooting 35%. They also sent the opposition to the free-throw line 18 times, where they made 11, shooting 61%. Akron limited offensive rebounds, giving up just 5.

Falcons Preview: Does Bowling Green Have What it Takes at Home?

Bowling Green Falcons Recent Game/Games

Bowling Green’s season continues to struggle, as they fell to 3-7 after a 93-68 home loss to St. Thomas (MN) on Saturday. The Falcons were +3.5 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 161, surpassing the O/U line of 154.5.

Bowling Green found themselves in a deep hole early, trailing 46-20 at halftime. While they managed to score 48 points in the 2nd half, they also allowed 47 points, preventing any chance of a comeback.

Falcons Offense Breakdown

Bowling Green's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 37.3% from the field and 27.3% from beyond the arc, with an effective field goal percentage of 42.4%. They managed only 5 assists and 6 offensive rebounds, but were efficient from the free-throw line, hitting 18 of 20 attempts for 90%.

Miles Barnstable led the Falcons with 23 points, shooting 50% overall and 37.5% from three. Javontae Campbell and Drake Dobbs each added 18 points, with Dobbs also contributing 5 assists. Marcus Johnson hit 4 threes at a 57.1% clip, finishing with 16 points and 5 rebounds.

Falcons Team Defense

Despite Bowling Green holding their opponent to 37% shooting from the field, they still allowed 93 points. The Falcons gave up 16 two-point baskets on 37 attempts, a 43% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Bowling Green's defense limited their opponent to 6 threes on 22 attempts, a 27% success rate. However, they sent the other team to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 18 of those attempts, shooting 90%.

Zips vs Falcons Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road games, Akron has an ATS record of just 3-7. However, their overall record was 1-9 while averaging 70 points per game.
Across their five previous home games, Bowling Green has an ATS mark of 2-3. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-4 while averaging 70 points per game.
Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Bowling Green has an ATS mark of 2-2-1 while going 1-4 straight up.
Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Zips have a straight up record of 8-2. But, their mark vs the spread was just 5-5.