Ball State vs Buffalo 1/14/22 College Basketball Picks, Predictions, Odds
Buffalo Bulls (8-6) vs. Ball State Cardinals (7-8)
January 14, 2022 6:00 pm EDT
The Line: Ball State Cardinals +6.5 / Buffalo Bulls -6.5; Over/Under: +163
(Get latest betting odds)
The Buffalo Bulls and the Ball State Cardinals meet in college basketball MAC-tion from Worthen Arena on Friday night.
The Buffalo Bulls will look to build on their 78-64 win over Western Michigan last time out. Jeenathan Williams leads the Bulls in scoring with 18.2 PPG along with 5.5 RPG while Ronaldo Segu has 16.4 PPG with a team-high 5.1 RPG this season. Josh Mballa leads the Bulls on the glass with 8.1 RPG along with 15 PPG while Maceo Jack has 10.2 PPG with 3.5 RPG to make up the group of double-digit scorers for Buffalo so far this season. As a team, Buffalo is averaging 82.1 PPG on 46.1% shooting from the field, 33.9% from three and 71.1% from the foul line while allowing 73.3 PPG on 42.8% shooting from the field and 33% from three this season.
The Ball State Cardinals will try to bounce back from an 84-74 loss at the hands of Akron last time out. Luke Bumbalough leads the Cardinals in scoring and assists with 12.7 PPG and 3.3 APG while Payton Sparks has 11.3 PPG with a team-high 6.5 RPG to lead Ball State on the glass and Tyler Cochran has 11.3 PPG with 5.2 RPG to make up the trio of double-digit scorers for Ball State up to this point in the year. Miryne Thomas has 9.6 PPG with 4.9 RPG as well and Jalen Windham’s contributing 8.7 PPG as well on the year. As a team, Ball State is averaging 74.4 PPG on 44.4% shooting from the field, 37.1% from three and 67.1% from the foul line while allowing 77.3 PPG on 45.4% shooting from the field and 35.8% from three this season.
Buffalo is 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 road games and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall while the under is 11-3 in their last 14 games following a win. Ball State is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall while the over is 13-6 in their last 19 games following a loss.
I get the case to be made for the Cardinals getting points at home, but they’re getting those points for a reason. Buffalo is the far better offensive team here and the Cardinals have one of the least efficient defenses in D-I this season. I’m not buying what Ball State’s selling. Give me the Bulls on the road in this one.
