Akron Zips vs Yale Bulldogs Matchup

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

Akron vs Yale Prediction

Planning on watching today's Zips and Bulldogs game? Catch the action at Don Haskins Center in El Paso, TX, as the Bulldogs hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 155.5 points, and Yale is favored by -3.5 vs. Akron.

Akron vs. Yale Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Akron Zips at Yale Bulldogs
Where: El Paso at Don Haskins Center
Date: Friday, December 20th
Betting Odds YALE -3.5, AKRON +136 | YALE -165 O/U 155.5

Zips Preview: Can Akron Pull Off A Win at Don Haskins Center?

Akron's season record dropped to 4-3 after a 100-81 road loss to Milwaukee on Sunday. The Zips entered the game as +1.5 point underdogs but failed to cover the spread.

Milwaukee took control early, leading 58-45 at halftime. Akron couldn't close the gap in the second half, scoring 36 points while allowing 42. The game’s total points reached 181, surpassing the O/U line of 155.5.

Zips Offense Breakdown

Akron's offense put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 47.2% from the field and hitting 40% from beyond the arc (8/20). Their effective field goal percentage was 52.8%, though they struggled at the free-throw line, making just 5 of 11 attempts (45.5%).

Themus Fulks led the way with 23 points and 7 assists, while Tavari Johnson added 22 points. Jamichael Stillwell was a force on the boards with 18 rebounds, and Erik Pratt was efficient from deep, hitting 4 of 5 three-pointers.

Zips Team Defense

Akron's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 100 points on 57% shooting from the field. The Zips allowed 37 made field goals on 64 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Akron's opponents hit 11 of 19 threes, also at a 57% rate. The Zips sent them to the line 20 times, where they made 15 free throws.

Bulldogs Preview: Does Yale Stand a Chance at Home?

Yale Bulldogs Recent Game/Games

Yale improved to 4-5 on the season with a 65-50 win over Vermont on Saturday. The Bulldogs, who were favored by six points, covered the spread with the win.

After trailing 24-22 at halftime, Yale turned things around in the second half, outscoring Vermont 43-26. The game’s total points of 115 fell short of the 134.5 O/U line.

Bulldogs Offense Breakdown

Yale put up 65 points in their last game, shooting 44.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.9%. They hit 40% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 20 attempts, and were strong at the free-throw line, making 11 of 13 for 84.6%.

TJ Hurley led the way with 21 points, hitting 5 of 8 from three-point range, while Casey Simmons added 18 points on 7 of 10 shooting, going 1 for 1 from deep. Bez Mbeng contributed 6 assists and 9 rebounds, and Nick Townsend chipped in 4 assists and 6 boards.

Bulldogs Team Defense

Yale's defense held their opponent to just 50 points, despite allowing them to shoot 44% from the field. The Bulldogs gave up 15 two-point field goals on 32 attempts, a 46% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Yale's opponent hit 8 of 20 threes, shooting 40%. They also went to the free-throw line 13 times, making 11 for an 84% success rate. Yale allowed 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Zips vs Bulldogs Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Akron has an ATS record of 1-2 while averaging 74 per game. The team went 0-3 overall in these games.
Yale has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 81 points per game while allowing 74. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Akron has an ATS mark of 1-4 while going 0-5 straight up.
Through their last three games as the favorite, the Bulldogs have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.