Halftime Report

Only one more half stands between Minnesota and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Ball State 39-27.

Minnesota entered the matchup having won three straight and they're just one half away from another. Will they make it four, or will Ball State step up and spoil it? We'll know soon.

Who's Playing

Ball State Cardinals @ Minnesota Golden Gophers

Current Records: Ball State 8-3, Minnesota 8-3

How To Watch

What to Know

The Minnesota Golden Gophers will stay at home for another game and welcome the Ball State Cardinals at 8:00 p.m. ET on December 21st at Williams Arena. Minnesota has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.

Minnesota has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six matches by 19 points or more this season. They steamrolled past the Jaguars 101-65 at home. That 101-65 margin sets a new team best for Minnesota this season.

Minnesota's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Parker Fox, who scored 16 points along with five rebounds, and Cam Christie, who scored 19 points along with six rebounds. Fox continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Mike Mitchell Jr., who scored 14 points.

Ball State came into the game on Saturday with a huge advantage in the spread, but given the result that advantage might've gone to their heads. They took a 83-72 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Sycamores. Ball State's defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Jalin Anderson, who scored 18 points along with eight rebounds and six assists. Mason Jones was another key contributor, scoring 12 points.

The Golden Gophers' win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-3. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 84.0 points per game. As for the Cardinals, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-3.

Fans should be in for an exciting game on Thursday as Minnesota and Ball State are among the highest scoring teams in the league right now. Minnesota hasn't had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 80.5 points per game. However, it's not like Ball State struggles in that department as they've been averaging 76.1 points per game. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can run the score up higher.

Odds

Minnesota is a big 12-point favorite against Ball State, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 12-point spread, and stayed right there.


The over/under is set at 141.5 points.

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