Akron Zips vs Ohio Bobcats Matchup

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

Ohio vs Akron Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Bobcats and Zips. The game is starting at 6:00 ET on CBSS, and it's hosted by the Zips at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, OH. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 158 points, and Akron is favored by -2.5 vs. Ohio in a Mid-American conference matchup.

Ohio vs. Akron Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Ohio Bobcats at Akron Zips
Where: Akron at James A. Rhodes Arena
Date: Friday, January 17th
Betting Odds AKRON -2.5, OHIO +124 | AKRON -148 O/U 158

Bobcats Preview: Can Ohio Deliver Being Underdogs on the Road?

Ohio Bobcats Recent Game/Games

Ohio improved to 9-6 on the season with an 86-71 win over Ball State on Tuesday. The Bobcats were -9.5 favorites and covered the spread with the win. The total points for the game reached 157, surpassing the over/under line of 150.5.

Ohio led 45-35 at halftime and continued to control the game, scoring 41 points in the second half while allowing 36.

Bobcats Offense Breakdown

Ohio's offense was clicking in their last game, putting up 86 points while shooting 54.8% from the field. They were particularly effective inside, hitting 65% of their two-point attempts, and their overall shooting led to an effective field goal percentage of 61.3%.

From beyond the arc, the Bobcats connected on 8 of 22 threes, shooting 36.4%. Mickey Pearson Jr. led the way with 19 points, hitting 3 of 6 from deep, while Aidan Hadaway and Jackson Paveletzke each added 15 points, with Hadaway knocking down 3 of 5 threes.

Bobcats Team Defense

Ohio's defense struggled, giving up 71 points on 54% shooting from the field. They allowed 34 made baskets on 62 attempts.

Inside the arc, Ohio gave up 26/40 shooting for 65%. From three, they allowed 8/22 shooting for 36%. They also sent the opponent to the line 16 times, where they made 10 free throws.

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

Akron Zips Recent Game/Games

The Zips improved to 9-5 on the season after an 85-78 win over Toledo on Tuesday, January 14th. Akron was favored by 8 points but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 163 narrowly exceeded the O/U line of 161.5.

Akron turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Toledo 55-36 after trailing 42-30 at halftime. Their strong 2nd-half performance was key to the win.

Zips Offense Breakdown

In their last game, the Akron Zips put up 85 points, shooting 46.7% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 53.3%, with a two-point shooting mark of 56.5% (26/46) and a three-point percentage of 31% (9/29). They also hit 66.7% of their free throws, going 6/9 from the line.

Nate Johnson led the way with 28 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 52.2% overall, though he struggled from deep, hitting just 1 of 7 attempts. Amani Lyles was efficient, scoring 16 points on 7/9 shooting, while Isaiah Adams added 17 points. The Zips also grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and dished out 21 assists in the win.

Zips Team Defense

Akron's defense struggled, giving up 78 points on 46% shooting from the field. The Zips allowed 56% shooting on two-point attempts, with the opposing team hitting 26 of their 46 shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, Akron's opponents shot 31%, connecting on 9 of 29 attempts. The Zips sent them to the free-throw line 9 times, where they made 6 free throws, shooting 66%. Akron also gave up 17 offensive rebounds.

Bobcats vs Zips Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their five previous road games, Ohio has an ATS mark of 1-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 3-2 while averaging 73 points per game.
Akron has played well in their previous three home games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 83 points per game while allowing 75. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, Ohio has an ATS mark of 3-7 while going 2-8 straight up.
Akron has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 5-0 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five games.