Ball State Cardinals vs Akron Zips NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 2/4/25
Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Cardinals and Zips. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Zips at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, OH. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this Mid-American conference game currently have Akron as the -14 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 157 points.
BALL STATE CARDINALS VS AKRON ZIPS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Ball State Cardinals +14
This game will be played at James A. Rhodes Arena at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, February 4th.
WHY BET THE BALL STATE CARDINALS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Zips.
- Even though we have Akron winning straight-up, we like Ball State at +14.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 157 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Will Ball State Shock Everyone at James A. Rhodes Arena?
Ball State Cardinals Recent Game/Games
Ball State improved to 7-11 on the season with an 89-76 road win over Buffalo on Saturday, February 1st. The Cardinals entered the game as -2.5 favorites and covered the spread.
Ball State led 45-32 at halftime and matched Buffalo with 44 points in the 2nd half. The game’s total points of 165 exceeded the O/U line of 153.5.
Ball State put up 89 points in their latest game, shooting 46% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range. They connected on 25 of 35 free throws, hitting 71.4% from the line, and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, finishing with 16 assists.
Payton Sparks led the way with 27 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 52.6% from the field. Mickey Pearson Jr. added 19 points, hitting 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, while Jermahri Hill contributed 18 points and 3 assists.
Ball State’s defense gave up 76 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 38% from the field on 25 of 65 attempts. Inside the arc, the Cardinals allowed 17 of 26 shooting, a 65% success rate.
From three-point range, Ball State’s defense held the other team to 8 of 39 shooting, just 20%. However, they sent them to the free-throw line 19 times, where they made 18, shooting 94%. Ball State also gave up 13 offensive rebounds.
Will the Zips Win at Home?
Akron Zips Recent Game/Games
The Zips improved to 14-5 on the season with an 85-71 road win over Kent State on Friday. Akron entered the game as +3.5 point underdogs but not only pulled off the upset, they also covered the spread. The total points for the game reached 156, surpassing the O/U line of 144.5.
Akron took control early, building a 48-31 lead by halftime. While Kent State outscored them 40-37 in the second half, the Zips’ strong start was enough to secure the win.
Akron’s offense put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 47.5% from the field and hitting 40.7% from three-point range, making 11 of 27 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 55.7%, and they connected on 72.7% of their free throws, going 16 for 22 from the line.
Jalen Sullinger and Nate Johnson each scored 23 and 20 points, respectively, with both shooting 7 of 15 from the field. Tavari Johnson added 15 points and 5 assists, shooting 66.7% overall and from beyond the arc. James Okonkwo contributed 11 points and 13 rebounds, while Seth Wilson also scored 11, hitting 3 of 5 threes.
Akron’s defense held their opponent to 71 points on 34% shooting from the field. The Zips limited them to 42% on two-point attempts, with 16 makes on 38 tries.
From beyond the arc, Akron’s defense allowed just 6 threes on 25 attempts, a 24% shooting rate. They sent their opponent to the line 25 times, where they hit 21 free throws, an 84% success rate. Akron gave up 8 offensive rebounds.