Ball State Cardinals vs Ohio Bobcats Matchup

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

Ball State vs Ohio Prediction

Looking to win big? The Cardinals and Bobcats face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bobcats are hosting the game at Convocation Center (OH) in Athens, OH. This Mid-American conference matchup has an over/under of 152 points, and Ohio is favored to win by -11.5 at home vs. Ball State.

Ball State vs. Ohio Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Ball State Cardinals at Ohio Bobcats
Where: Athens at Convocation Center (OH)
Date: Tuesday, January 14th
Betting Odds OHIO -11.5, BALLST +455 | OHIO -635 O/U 152

Cardinals Preview: Do the Cardinals Have a Shot at a Win at Athens?

Ball State improved to 5-7 on the season with a 91-69 win over Bowling Green on Saturday, January 11th. The Cardinals, who were -5.5 favorites, covered the spread in the victory.

Ball State took control early, leading 42-26 at halftime, and added 49 points in the 2nd half while allowing 43. The game’s total points of 160 exceeded the over/under line of 149.5.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

Ball State's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 91 points with a field goal percentage of 58.9%. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 64.3%, thanks to 66.7% shooting on two-pointers and 41.2% from beyond the arc. They also connected on 81.8% of their free throws, going 18-for-22 from the line.

Payton Sparks led the way with 19 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 72.7% from the field. Juanse Gorosito and Mickey Pearson Jr. each added 16 points, with Gorosito hitting 4-of-7 threes. Ball State dished out 21 assists as a team, with Jermahri Hill contributing 6 assists to go along with his 12 points and 7 rebounds.

Cardinals Team Defense

Ball State's defense struggled in their previous game, giving up 69 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 58% from the field. The Cardinals had a tough time defending inside, as the other team connected on 66% of their two-point attempts, going 26/39.

From beyond the arc, Ball State's opponents shot 41%, making 7 of 17 three-pointers. The Cardinals also sent them to the free-throw line 22 times, where they hit 18 free throws, an 81% success rate. Ball State gave up 7 offensive rebounds in the game.

Bobcats Preview: Will Ohio Live Up to Expectations at Home?

Ohio improved to 8-6 on the season with a dominant 108-70 win over Northern Illinois on Saturday. The Bobcats were -20 point favorites at home and covered the spread with ease. The total points for the game reached 178, surpassing the O/U line of 150.5.

Ohio took control early, leading 57-39 at halftime, and continued their strong play in the 2nd half, scoring 51 points while holding the Huskies to 31.

Bobcats Offense Breakdown

Ohio's offense was on fire, putting up 108 points and shooting 61.7% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 76.7%. They hit 17 threes, shooting 54.8% from deep, and connected on 69% of their two-point attempts. The Bobcats also dished out 25 assists in the game.

AJ Clayton was a standout, scoring 31 points in just 18 minutes, hitting 9 of 10 threes and shooting 83.3% overall. Quentin Jones added 25 points and 8 rebounds, while Jackson Paveletzke went 9 for 10 from the field, finishing with 19 points.

Bobcats Team Defense

Ohio's defense struggled in their previous game, giving up 70 points on 61% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 69% of their two-point attempts, with 20 makes on 29 shots.

From beyond the arc, Ohio's opponent shot 54%, knocking down 17 of 31 threes. They also sent them to the line 25 times, where they made 17 free throws, shooting 68%. Ohio gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Cardinals vs Bobcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last five road contests, Ball State has been good against the spread posting a mark of 4-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 72 points per game.
When looking at their past five home matchups, Ohio has an ATS record of 1-4 while averaging 73 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Cardinals have gone 5-5 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 4-6.
In their last three contests as the favorite, Ohio has a poor record vs the spread going 1-2. But, they still put together a straight up mark of 3-0.