Ball State Cardinals vs Evansville Aces Matchup

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

Evansville vs Ball State Prediction

Planning on watching today's Aces 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 for this game is set at 139.5 points, and Ball State is favored by -3.5 against Evansville in a non-conference matchup.

Evansville vs. Ball State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Evansville Aces at Ball State Cardinals
Where: Muncie at Worthen Arena
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds BALLST -3.5, EVANS +133 | BALLST -215 O/U 139.5

Aces Preview: Are Evansville Ready for a Road Win?

Evansville Aces Recent Game/Games

Evansville dropped to 2-8 on the season following an 80-54 road loss to UT Arlington on Wednesday. The Aces entered the game as +9.5 underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

Evansville trailed 44-24 at halftime and were outscored 36-30 in the second half. The total points for the game were 134, falling short of the 150.5 O/U line.

Aces Offense Breakdown

Evansville struggled offensively, scoring just 54 points on 30.9% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 34.5%, and they hit only 16.7% from three-point range, making 4 of 24 attempts.

At the free-throw line, the Aces shot 69.6%, converting 16 of 23 attempts. Tayshawn Comer led the team with 20 points and 4 assists, while Diante Smith added 18 points, hitting 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.

Aces Team Defense

Despite holding their opponent to 38% shooting, Evansville gave up 80 points in their last game. The Aces allowed 11 threes on 30 attempts, with their opponent shooting 36% from beyond the arc.

Evansville sent their opponent to the free-throw line 36 times, where they converted 27 attempts (75%). The Aces also struggled on the boards, giving up 22 offensive rebounds.

Cardinals Preview: Can Ball State Live Up to the Hype at Home?

Ball State Cardinals Recent Game/Games

Ball State improved to 2-6 on the season with an 86-82 road win over Bellarmine on Saturday, December 14th. The Cardinals entered the game as -3.5 favorites and covered the spread with the victory.

Ball State led 47-42 at halftime and scored 39 points in the 2nd half while allowing 40. The total points for the game were 168, surpassing the over/under line of 142.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

Ball State's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 86 points on 54.2% shooting from the field. They connected on 52.6% of their three-point attempts, hitting 10 of 19, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 64.6%. At the free-throw line, they made 24 of 32 attempts, good for 75%.

Billy Smith led the way with 33 points, hitting 6 of 8 from beyond the arc and shooting 73.3% overall. Juanse Gorosito added 21 points, making 7 threes on 58.3% shooting from deep. The Cardinals finished with 13 assists and 8 offensive rebounds in the win.

Cardinals Team Defense

Ball State's defense gave up 82 points in their last game, with their opponent shooting 47% from the field. They allowed 18 two-point baskets on 32 attempts, a 56% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Ball State's opponent hit 11 of 29 threes, shooting 37%. They also sent the opponent to the line 15 times, where they made 13 free throws, an 86% rate. Ball State allowed 14 offensive rebounds.

Aces vs Cardinals Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Evansville has a straight up record of 2-8 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 3-7. The team averaged 59 points per game in these games.
Through their last ten home games, Ball State has an ATS record of just 5-5. However, their overall record was 4-6 while averaging 69 points per game.
As the betting underdog, the Aces have an ATS mark of just 2-3 in their last five games. Evansville posted a straight up mark of 1-4 in these matchups.
Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Cardinals have a straight up record of 3-7. But, their mark vs the spread was just 3-7.