The Akron Zips (19-7, 11-2 MAC) will try to maintain their spot atop the MAC standings when they host the Kent State Golden Flashes (13-13, 6-7) on Friday night. Akron has lost two of its last three games after racing out to a 10-1 start in conference play, falling to Toledo on Tuesday. Kent State has dropped two of its last three games as well, including a 73-67 loss at Ohio earlier this week. Akron notched a 77-71 road victory when these teams met last month.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET on Friday at James A. Rhodes Arena on CBS Sports Network. Akron is favored by 7.5 points in the latest Akron vs. Kent State odds, while the over/under is 137 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Kent State vs. Akron picks, you'll want to see the NCAA Basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 16 of the 2023-24 season on a 136-89 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $2,500 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 25-13 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Kent State vs. Akron. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines for the game:
- Akron vs. Kent State spread: Akron -7.5
- Akron vs. Kent State over/under: 137 points
- Akron vs. Kent State money line: Akron -340, Kent State +264
- Akron vs. Kent State picks: See picks here
Why Akron can cover
Akron will be happy to return home following a difficult three-game road trip that included a non-conference game against James Madison. The Zips are tied for first place in the MAC standings following their loss at Toledo on Tuesday. They are riding a 14-game home winning streak and have covered the spread in five straight games played on a Friday.
The first meeting between these teams resulted in a 77-71 win for Akron as a 1-point road underdog last month. Senior forward Enrique Freeman and senior guard Ali Ali both scored 23 points, while sophomore guard Tavari Johnson chipped in 10 points off the bench. Kent State has only covered the spread three times in its last nine road games.
Why Kent State can cover
Akron is coming off its worst three-game stretch of the season, failing to cover the spread in all three games while losing to James Madison and Toledo. The Zips are also going to be dealing with fatigue after playing three straight road games, while Kent State is motivated to get revenge for its loss last month. The Golden Flashes crushed Northern Illinois in an 85-47 final last Saturday, easily covering the 10.5-point spread.
They narrowly failed to cover the spread in a 63-57 loss at Ohio on Tuesday, despite leading by six points at halftime. Junior guard Jalen Sullinger leads Kent State with 14.6 points, 2.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game, while junior forward VonCameron Davis is adding 13.0 points and 4.7 rebounds. Senior forward Chris Payton Jr. is also in double figures with 12.7 points and 7.3 boards. See which team to pick here.
How to make Akron vs. Kent State picks
The model has simulated Kent State vs. Akron 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Akron vs. Kent State, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 136-89 roll on its top-ranked college basketball picks, and find out.
