Ball State Cardinals vs Bowling Green Falcons Matchup

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

Bowling Green vs Ball State Prediction

Planning on watching today's Falcons and Cardinals game? Catch the action at Worthen Arena in Muncie, IN, as the Cardinals hosts this showdown at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 150.5 points, and Ball State is favored by -4.5 to win at home against Bowling Green.

Bowling Green vs. Ball State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Bowling Green Falcons at Ball State Cardinals
Where: Muncie at Worthen Arena
Date: Saturday, January 11th
Betting Odds BALLST -4.5, BOWLGR +170 | BALLST -207 O/U 150.5

Falcons Preview: Will Bowling Green Make it Happen on the Road?

Bowling Green improved to 4-8 on the season with an 83-79 road win over Western Michigan on Tuesday. Entering the game as +4.5 point underdogs, the Falcons not only picked up the win but also covered the spread. The total points for the game were 162, surpassing the O/U line of 151.5.

After trailing 42-38 at halftime, Bowling Green turned things around in the second half, outscoring the Broncos 45-37 to secure the win.

Falcons Offense Breakdown

Bowling Green's offense was clicking in their last game, putting up 83 points while shooting 53.4% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 58.6%, thanks in part to their 61% shooting on two-pointers. From beyond the arc, they hit 6 of 17 threes, shooting 35.3%.

Trey Thomas led the way with 22 points, hitting 4 of 5 from deep. Derrick Butler added 19 points, though he struggled from three, missing all 6 attempts. The Falcons also got contributions from Marcus Johnson and Owen Lobsinger, who combined for 15 rebounds and 6 assists.

Falcons Team Defense

Despite Bowling Green's defensive struggles, allowing 79 points on 48% shooting, they did manage to limit the damage from beyond the arc. The Falcons held their opponent to just 4 made threes on 21 attempts, a 19% shooting performance.

However, Bowling Green couldn't contain the inside game, as their opponent shot 63% on two-pointers, going 26/41. The Falcons also sent them to the line 21 times, where they converted 15 free throws.

Cardinals Preview: Does Ball State Have a Shot at a Home Win?

Ball State’s season continues to be a struggle, as they fell to 4-7 after an 80-72 home loss to Miami (OH) on Tuesday. The Cardinals were +1.5 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread.

Ball State trailed 38-33 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 39 points while allowing 42. The game’s total points of 152 exceeded the O/U line of 144.5.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

Ball State put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 43.4% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 5 of 21 attempts for 23.8%, but connected on 56.2% of their two-point shots. At the free-throw line, they made 21 of 30 attempts, good for 70%.

Kam Craft led the way with 28 points, shooting 66.7% overall and 44.4% from three-point range. Payton Sparks also contributed 20 points, going 8 for 9 from the field and grabbing 16 rebounds. Jermahri Hill added 20 points, despite shooting just 25% from three.

Cardinals Team Defense

Ball State's defense gave up 80 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 43% from the field. They allowed 56% shooting on two-point attempts, with 18 makes on 32 tries.

From beyond the arc, Ball State held their opponents to 5/21 shooting, just 23%. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 30 times, where they converted 21 shots for 70%. Ball State allowed 10 offensive rebounds.

Falcons vs Cardinals Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Falcons last three road games, the team averaged 76 points per game while allowing 81. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
When looking at their past five home matchups, Ball State has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 72 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Falcons have a straight up record of 1-2 and an ATS mark of 2-1.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the favorite, the Cardinals have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-3.