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The No. 3 seed Akron Zips (21-10, 13-5 MAC) are squaring off against the No. 6 seed Buffalo Bulls (15-16, 9-9 MAC) in the MAC Tournament on Thursday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The contest is scheduled for 6:30 PM.
The Zips are currently solid 7.5-point favorites over the Bulls. The over/under is 146.5 points for the game.
Akron vs. Buffalo Odds
Point Spread for Akron vs. Buffalo
The spread for this matchup is set at 7.5 points, with oddsmakers listing Akron as the favorite.
Akron vs. Buffalo Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Akron has -342 odds to pick up the win, while Buffalo is listed at +268 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the over/under for the game is set at 146.5 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Thursday, March 9, 2023
- Game Time: 6:30 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN+
- Location: Cleveland, Ohio
- Arena: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
Akron vs. Buffalo Betting Trends
Akron has played 29 games, with 11 wins against the spread. The Zips have been victorious in 17, or 89.5%, of the 19 contests they have been chosen as favorites in this season. Akron’s games this year have gone over the point total 14 times in 29 opportunities (48.3%).
Buffalo has 15 wins against the spread in 29 games this year. The Bulls have won 27.8% of the games this season they were the underdog on the moneyline (5-13). Buffalo’s games this season have eclipsed the over/under 15 times in 29 opportunities (51.7%).
Akron vs. Buffalo Key Players to Watch
Akron
Enrique Freeman leads the Zips at 11.1 rebounds per contest, while also putting up 2 assists and 16.5 points. He is sixth in the country in rebounding. Trendon Hankerson is posting 8.9 points, 2.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. Greg Tribble posts 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest, shooting 40.1% from the floor.
Buffalo
Curtis Jones is the Bulls’ top scorer (15.1 points per game) and assist man (3.1), and delivers 4.9 rebounds. LaQuill Hardnett is the Bulls’ top rebounder (7.2 per game), and he delivers 10.8 points and 1.2 assists. Zid Powell gives the Bulls 12.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest. He also averages 1.8 steals and 0.4 blocked shots. Isaiah Adams is averaging 11.7 points, 5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, making 42.2% of his shots from the floor and 35.3% from beyond the arc, with 1.9 treys per game.
What you need to know about the Akron Zips
Akron has covered eight times in 18 chances against the spread in conference play this season. On offense, the Zips are putting up 73.8 points per game (127th-ranked in college basketball). They are ceding 66.2 points per contest on defense (66th-ranked). Akron is averaging 32.2 rebounds per game (150th-ranked in college basketball) this year, while allowing 28.5 rebounds per contest (43rd-ranked).
With 9 three-pointers per game, Akron ranks 34th in college basketball. It sports a 35.1% shooting percentage from beyond the arc, which ranks 127th in college basketball. The Zips are surrendering 6.9 three-pointers per game (136th-ranked in college basketball) this season, while allowing a 34.5% three-point percentage (227th-ranked).
The Zips have gone 6-4 in their past 10 contests, with a 5-5 record against the spread during that span. In its past 10 contests, Akron has gone over the total six times. Akron has seen an uptick in scoring lately, racking up 78.2 points per game in its last 10 outings, 4.4 points more than the 73.8 it has scored this season. Akron’s points-allowed average over its last 10 games (73) is 6.8 more points per game than the team is allowing over the entire season (66.2).
What you need to know about the Buffalo Bulls
In Buffalo’s 18 chances this year in MAC play, the combined scoring has gone over the point total nine times. The Bulls are 49th in the country in points scored (77.5 per game) and 17th-worst in points allowed (76.9). Buffalo is 34th in college basketball in rebounds per game (34.9) and 212th in rebounds allowed (31.6).
Buffalo is 223rd in the nation in 3-pointers made (7 per game) and 282nd in 3-point percentage (32.4%). In 2022-23, the Bulls are 218th in the country in 3-pointers conceded (7.5 per game) and 220th in defensive 3-point percentage (34.4%).
The Bulls have a 3-7 record against the spread while going 5-5 overall over their past 10 contests. Five of Buffalo’s past 10 games have hit the over. Over its last 10 games, Buffalo is posting 73 points per game, 4.5 fewer points than its season average (77.5). The Bulls are allowing 77.1 points per game over their previous 10 games, compared to their season average of 76.9 points allowed.
Akron vs. Buffalo Prediction & Pick
Our prediction to win this game is Akron, and we predict that Buffalo will cover the spread (Akron -7.5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 146.5 points.
How to bet Akron vs. Buffalo
You can bet on Akron vs. Buffalo at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
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