Ball State Cardinals vs Central Michigan Chippewas Matchup

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

Ball State vs Central Michigan Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Cardinals and Chippewas. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Chippewas at McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, MI. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 140.5 points, and Central Michigan is favored by -4.5 vs. Ball State in a Mid-American conference matchup.

Ball State vs. Central Michigan Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Ball State Cardinals at Central Michigan Chippewas
Where: Mount Pleasant at McGuirk Arena
Date: Tuesday, January 21st
Betting Odds CMICH -4.5, BALLST +160 | CMICH -200 O/U 140.5

Cardinals Preview: Is an Upset Waiting to Happen on the Road?

Ball State Cardinals Recent Game/Games

The Cardinals dropped to 5-9 on the season after a 93-75 home loss to Toledo on Saturday. Ball State entered the game as slight favorites (-1) but failed to cover the spread.

Trailing 44-40 at halftime, Ball State struggled defensively in the second half, allowing 49 points while scoring just 35. The game’s total points of 168 exceeded the O/U line of 155.5.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

Ball State put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 53.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.4%. Their two-point shooting was impressive at 65.8% (25/38), but they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 4 of 16 attempts (25%).

At the free-throw line, the Cardinals shot 61.9% (13/21) and grabbed 8 offensive rebounds. Sam Lewis led the team with 21 points, while Payton Sparks and Isaiah Adams each added 20. Jermahri Hill contributed 17 points and 6 assists.

Cardinals Team Defense

Ball State's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 93 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 53% from the field. Inside the arc, they were particularly vulnerable, with the opposing team hitting 65% of their two-point attempts (25/38).

From three-point range, Ball State's defense held their opponent to 25% shooting, as they made just 4 of 16 attempts. However, they sent the other team to the free-throw line 21 times, where they converted 13 shots for 61%. Ball State also allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

Chippewas Preview: Will the Chippewas Win at Home?

Central Michigan Chippewas Recent Game/Games

Central Michigan improved to 4-9 on the season with a 71-66 road win over Northern Illinois on Saturday, January 18th. The Chippewas were favored by nine points but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 137 fell short of the 141.5 O/U line.

Central Michigan led 35-29 at halftime and scored 36 points in the 2nd half while allowing 37 points to the Huskies.

Chippewas Offense Breakdown

Central Michigan put up 71 points in their latest game, shooting 48.3% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range, hitting 6 of 14 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 53.3%, and they connected on 50% of their two-point shots (23/46).

Quaran McPherson led the way with 22 points, shooting 66.7% overall and 71.4% from deep (5/7). Cayden Vasko was perfect from three, hitting all 3 attempts, finishing with 15 points and 5 assists. Anthony Pritchard contributed 9 assists and 13 points, while Jakobi Heady added 16 points and 9 rebounds.

Chippewas Team Defense

Central Michigan's defense gave up 66 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field on 23 of 54 attempts. The Chippewas were strong inside, holding their opponents to just 37% shooting on two-pointers, as they went 10 for 27.

However, Central Michigan struggled to defend the three-point line, where the other team hit 13 of 27 threes, shooting 48%. The Chippewas also sent them to the free-throw line 15 times, where they made 7, shooting 46%. Central Michigan allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

Cardinals vs Chippewas Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Ball State has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 77 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
Across their five previous home games, Central Michigan has an ATS mark of 1-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-4 while averaging 61 points per game.
In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Cardinals have a straight up record of 1-2 and an ATS mark of 1-2.
The last ten games that Central Michigan was favored, they have an ATS mark of 5-4-1 while going 8-2 straight up.