Ball State Cardinals Look to Continue Dominance Against Eastern Michigan Eagles

Game outlook

In this content, two college basketball programs, Ball State and Eastern Michigan, are set to face off in the Great Lakes State. Ball State comes into the game after a close road loss to Toledo, where they covered the 11-point underdog line. Eastern Michigan, on the other hand, suffered a defeat against Miami (OH) on the road and failed to cover the 6.5-point underdog line. The Cardinals hold a historical advantage in the series with a 3-8 record, but the Eagles secured a home win in their most recent matchup. As for the current betting odds, Eastern Michigan initially opened as the favorite with -1, but the line is now in favor of Ball State at -1.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Cardinals -110 | Eagles -110

Spread: Cardinals -1 (-110) | Eagles +1 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 140.5 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Eastern Michigan will win straight-up is 52%.

Ball St. Cardinals

Ball State suffered their sixth consecutive loss in their game against Toledo, bringing their overall record to 8-8 and 0-4 in the MAC. They are currently tied for last place in the conference. Against Toledo, Ball State struggled in the first half and fell behind by seven points. Despite leading by six at one point in the game, Ball State was unable to maintain their advantage and gave up a 15-2 run, ultimately losing by a final score of 66-59. The team shot 50.9% from the field and struggled with rebounding, losing that battle 33-29. Jalin Anderson was the top performer for Ball State in the loss, leading the team with 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Throughout the season, Ball State has averaged 73.9 points per game, ranking them 208th in the nation in scoring offense. The team also collects 34.5 rebounds per game and averages 11.8 assists. Defensively, they have performed slightly above average, allowing an average of 70.1 points per game, ranking them 144th in scoring defense. Basheer Jihad leads the team with 18.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Other key contributors include Jalin Anderson, Mickey Pearson Jr., and Davion Bailey, who all average in double figures. Several other players are also logging significant minutes for the team. In terms of shooting efficiency, Ball State shoots 45.8% from the field as a team and makes 36.6% of their three-point attempts. They excel at free throw shooting, making 75.7% of their attempts, ranking them 39th in the nation. Based on their power ranking of 250, Ball State currently ranks 234th in offense, scoring an average of 72.71 points per game, and 163rd in defense, allowing an average of 71.00 points per game. They hold a record of 7-8 this season, with a 9-5 ATS (against the spread) record. On offense, the team shoots 45.06% from the field, 75.85% from the free throw line, and 38.01% from three-point range. They average 34.43 rebounds, 12.29 offensive assists, and 13.00 turnovers per game. Defensively, Ball State allows opponents to shoot 45 2H | 7:55 Kent St 65 Ball St 56 This 3️⃣ from Basheer cut the deficit to 63-56 pic.twitter.com/3P3dk6dXnu