Indiana State Sycamores vs Ball State Cardinals NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/16/24

Planning on watching today’s Sycamores 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 non-conference contest is set at 153 points, with Ball State being favored by -7 over Indiana State.

INDIANA STATE SYCAMORES VS BALL STATE CARDINALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Ball State Cardinals -7

This game will be played at Worthen Arena at 2:00 ET on Saturday, November 16th.

WHY BET THE BALL STATE CARDINALS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-69 in favor of the Cardinals.
• Not only will Ball State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -7.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 153 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Can the Sycamores Pull the Upset on the Road?

Indiana State Sycamores Recent Game/Games

Indiana State fell 77-72 at home to SIUE on Tuesday, November 12th. The Sycamores, who were -6.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Indiana State led 36-33 at halftime but allowed 44 points in the 2nd half while scoring 36. The game’s total points of 149 narrowly missed the O/U line of 150.5.

Indiana State’s offense put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 40.7% from the field. They connected on 15 of 41 three-point attempts, hitting at a 36.6% rate, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 54.2%.

Ray’Sean Taylor led the way with 22 points and 6 assists, shooting 4 of 12 from beyond the arc. Ring Malith added 19 points, and Jahni Summers contributed 15 points, hitting 3 of 6 from three-point range.

Indiana State’s defense gave up 77 points in their last game, allowing the opposition to shoot 40% from the field. They were able to limit two-point damage, with opponents hitting 9 of 18 shots, but struggled to contain the three-point line, where they allowed 15 threes on 41 attempts, a 36% shooting rate.

At the free-throw line, Indiana State’s opponents went 9 for 15, shooting 60%. The Sycamores also gave up 12 offensive rebounds, providing additional scoring opportunities.

Does Ball State Stand a Chance at Home?

Ball State’s recent game saw them fall 77-69 on the road to Dayton on Wednesday, November 13th. Despite being +16.5 point underdogs, the Cardinals managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 146, just over the 143.5 O/U line.

Ball State found themselves down 41-26 at halftime but showed resilience in the 2nd half, outscoring Dayton 43-36. While they couldn’t complete the comeback, their strong 2nd half performance was a positive takeaway.

Ball State’s offense managed 69 points in their last game, shooting 38.5% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 46.2%, with a two-point shooting rate of 35.3% (12/34) and a three-point shooting rate of 44.4% (8/18). They excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 87.5% (21/24) of their attempts.

Jermahri Hill led the team with 25 points and 7 rebounds, while Enoch Cheeks added 23 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 60% from the field. Malachi Smith contributed 17 points and 10 assists, making 2/2 from three-point range, and Ethan Brittain-Watts hit 4/6 from deep, finishing with 16 points.

Ball State’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 77 points on 48% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 62% of their two-point attempts, with 22 makes on 35 tries.

From beyond the arc, Ball State held their opponent to 21% shooting, with just 4 made threes on 19 attempts. They also sent them to the free-throw line 29 times, where they converted 21 for 72%. Ball State gave up 7 offensive rebounds.