The Kent State Golden Flashes will try to keep pace with the leaders in the MAC when they take on the Ball State Cardinals in a Wednesday matinee at Worthen Arena in Muncie, Ind. The Golden Flashes (14-5 overall, 11-4 in MAC) enter the game in third place in the conference, 1.5 games behind leader Toledo and just a half-game behind second-place Akron. Kent State is coming off a 64-51 win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Cardinals (7-11, 5-8) sit in eighth place in the conference and are coming off an 88-79 loss to Akron on Friday.
Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET. The Flashes are favored by 5.5-points in the latest Kent State vs. Ball State odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 146. Before making any Ball State vs. Kent State picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Kent State vs. Ball State. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Ball State vs. Kent State:
- Kent State vs. Ball State spread: Golden Flashes -5.5
- Kent State vs. Ball State Over/Under: 146 points
- Kent State vs. Ball State money line: Kent State -250, Ball State +205
- KENT: Danny Pippen ranks third in the MAC in scoring (20.3 points per game)
- BSU: K.J. Walton leads team in scoring (15.5 points per game)
Why Kent State can cover
Kent State is one of the best rebounding teams in the country. The Golden Flashes outrebound their opponents by 6.5 rebounds per game, which ranks second in the conference and 28th in the country. In their most recent game against Eastern Michigan, the Golden Flashes outrebounded the Eagles by 16.
In addition, senior Danny Pippen is having an all-conference caliber season. The 6-foot-9 forward from Detroit ranks 25th in the country and third in the MAC in points per game (20.3). In his last nine games, he has registered a double-double in five, giving him eight on the season.
Why Ball State can cover
Ball State is one of the best teams in the country at defending the 3-pointer. The Cardinals allow opponents to shoot just 30.4 percent from beyond the arc this season. That ranks fourth in the conference and 34th in the nation. Ball State has held 10 opponents to seven or fewer made 3-pointers in a game this season and are 5-5 in those contests.
In addition, senior Brachen Hazen has been on a roll in his most recent outings. The 6-foot-8 forward scored a career-high 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting on Friday against Akron. He has now scored in double figures in four straight games and 10 times overall this season.
How to make Kent State vs. Ball State picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting both teams combine for 147 points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Ball State vs. Kent State? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.
