Ball State Cardinals vs Western Michigan Broncos Matchup

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

Western Michigan vs Ball State Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Broncos and Cardinals. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Cardinals at Worthen Arena in Muncie, IN. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this Mid-American conference game currently have Ball State as the -5.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 150.5 points.

Western Michigan vs. Ball State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Western Michigan Broncos at Ball State Cardinals
Where: Muncie at Worthen Arena
Date: Tuesday, January 28th
Betting Odds BALLST -5.5, WMICH +175 | BALLST -215 O/U 150.5

Broncos Preview: Will Western Michigan Come Through as Road Underdogs?

Western Michigan Broncos Recent Game/Games

Western Michigan fell to 4-14 on the season after a 73-52 loss to Central Michigan on Saturday. The Broncos, who were +5 underdogs, didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 125 fell short of the 144.5 O/U line.

Trailing 34-23 at halftime, Western Michigan couldn’t close the gap, scoring 29 points in the 2nd half while allowing 39.

Broncos Offense Breakdown

Western Michigan struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 52 points while shooting 32.2% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 37.3%, and they connected on only 5 of 24 three-point attempts, shooting 20.8% from beyond the arc.

Jakobi Heady led the Broncos with 16 points, despite shooting 4 of 13 from the field. Markhi Strickland added 14 points on 7 of 11 shooting, and Kyler VanderJagt contributed 13 points, hitting 4 of 5 shots, including his only three-point attempt.

Broncos Team Defense

Western Michigan's defense gave up 73 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 43% from the field. They allowed 51% shooting on two-point attempts, as the other team went 20/39 inside the arc.

From three-point range, Western Michigan's defense held the opposition to 28% shooting, with 6 made threes on 21 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 22 times, where they hit 15 free throws for a 68% success rate. Western Michigan gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

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

Ball State Cardinals Recent Game/Games

The Cardinals dropped to 6-10 on the season after a 76-66 road loss to Northern Illinois on Saturday. Ball State entered the game as -6.5 favorites but failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 40-29 at halftime, Ball State outscored Northern Illinois 37-36 in the second half. The game’s total points of 142 fell short of the 148-point over/under line.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

Ball State's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 38.6% from the field and 40.6% on two-point attempts. They made 9 of 25 three-pointers, hitting at a 36% rate, and their effective field goal percentage was 45.6%.

At the free-throw line, the Cardinals connected on only 46.4% of their 28 attempts. Nasir Muhammad led the way with 19 points, hitting 5 of 6 from beyond the arc, while Quaran McPherson and James Dent Jr. each added 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Cardinals Team Defense

Ball State's defense gave up 76 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 43% from the field. They allowed 24 made field goals on 55 attempts.

From beyond the arc, the opposing team hit 13 of 27 threes, shooting 48%. Ball State also sent them to the line 26 times, where they made 15 free throws.

Broncos vs Cardinals Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Broncos last three road games, the team averaged 72 points per game while allowing 82. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
Although Ball State has a straight up record of 1-2 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 73 points per game in these games.
In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Broncos have a straight up record of 2-8 and an ATS mark of 5-5.
As the betting favorite, the Cardinals have an ATS mark of just 3-7 in their last ten games. Ball State posted a straight up mark of 3-7 in these matchups.