Last night’s gambit to catch a falling knife with Coastal Carolina resulted in bloody palms. I tried to grab them in a spot where they could cover the +7 easily if they snapped out of their shooting funk. Well, they didn’t. Despite the loss, watching the teams commit a combined 60 total fouls was perversely entertaining. It’s a travel day for me, so here’s the belated Road Dog Report for 1/31/2020:
(853) Akron @ Kent State -2.5
Friday MACtion features two of the league’s most potent offenses squaring off in Kent, Ohio. The 16-5 Akron Zips take their high-scoring show on the road to face the 15-6 Kent State Golden Flashes. Akron boasts a conference-leading 79.0 PPG while holding opponents to 68.1 PPG. As good as the Zips have been on the offensive end, the Flashes are right behind them with the second-best offense in the MAC. The #2 & #3 teams in the MAC East will be jockeying for critical positioning tonight.
High Octane Performers
Akron takes care of the ball well and has created 120 turnovers in eight conference games, but has a tendency to get out-rebounded. They dropped their last game to an average Buffalo team as 7.5-point favorites primarily due to the Bulls’ 46-26 rebound advantage and 14 offensive boards. It is difficult to find other major chinks in their armor, as they are shooting 48.2% in league play while allowing only 41.6% against them. The Zips are loaded with upperclassmen leadership like 6’9″ Dayton transfer Xeyrius Williams and guards Loren Jackson and Tyler Cheese. Williams is a machine at the free throw line and has posted four double-doubles in the last six games. Jackson is on a tear in his last four games with 116 points, while Cheese excels as a high-percentage scorer.
As I alluded to in the intro, the Golden Flashes are no slouches on offense either. They’ve hit 46.6% from the field in their eight conference games, including 40.6% from beyond the arc. Guards Troy Simmons and Antonio Williams lead the charge with excellent perimeter shooting, though Anthony Roberts seems to have cooled off in the last three games. The matchup between 6’9″ forward Danny Pippen and Akron’s Xeyrius Williams should be an interesting one. Pippen gives the Flashes a decent inside game that fellow big man Philip Whittington has largely been unable to do. Kent State needs to create second chance points and do its best to force some turnovers, otherwise Akron holds enough of an edge on both ends of the court to get the road win tonight.
On the Money
Both teams have done well for their backers this season. Akron has posted an 11-8 ATS mark and Kent State comes in at 10-8-1 ATS. The Golden Flashes have stumbled as a favorite in conference play, going 2-3 straight up and 1-2 ATS as a home favorite. Kent State has some momentum, however, winning and covering their last two games (+4 at Toledo and +3.5 at Buffalo). Prior to these upset wins they failed to cover their previous four, all of which they were favored in.
Akron has struggled against the number lately, covering only one of their last four games. However, they are on a 7-2 straight up run and are a dog for the first time since their trip to Liberty on December 21st. The Zips have been unfazed away from home, winning all four conference road games and going 3-1 ATS. I rate Akron a solid three points better on a neutral court and find themselves in a good situation. Give me the +2.5 with this legitimate MAC Championship contender.
Super Bowl Weekend
We’ll continue our college hoops coverage this weekend, although damn near everyone is ready to see the epic matchup between San Francisco and Kansas City on Sunday. ICYMI, our Super Bowl preview and prop rundown are at your disposal on BetCrushers.com. Stay in touch by following us on Twitter or subscribing to email alerts below. BOL this weekend!
