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The Akron Zips take on the Ohio Bobcats. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Akron Ohio prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Akron Ohio .
The Mid-American Conference has a fun championship race right now. Akron is one of three teams at 9-2 in the conference. The Zips are tied with Kent State and Toledo, having lost to Toledo earlier this week. Ball State is in fourth place at 8-3 in the MAC. Those four teams will battle over the next few weeks for the conference crown. Ohio is at 5-6 and is playing spoiler at this point. The Bobcats are trying to make their way up in the standings, but fifth place might be the best result they can reasonably hope for.
This game is fundamentally and centrally a test of Akron's ability to bounce back after absorbing that tough loss at home to Toledo. Akron has to shrug off that defeat and push forward in the pursuit of a conference title.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Akron-Ohio College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Akron-Ohio Odds
Akron Zips: -2.5 (-102)
Ohio Bobcats: +2.5 (-120)
Over: 143.5 (-115)
Under: 143.5 (-105)
How To Watch Akron vs. Ohio
TV: ESPN3
Stream: ESPN3/ESPN+
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. PT
*Watch Akron-Ohio LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Akron Could Cover the Spread
The Zips just played Toledo in a very important game. They lost, but they went up against a good opponent. Ohio isn't nearly as skilled or as tough as Toledo. Akron should benefit from playing a quality team (Toledo) in its previous game. The Rockets exposed where Akron was especially weak. The Zips can now apply the lessons taught by Toledo and carry them into this game against Ohio. The Bobcats have won three of their past five, while Akron has won four of its last five games. Ohio hasn't beaten a high-end team in the MAC over the past three weeks. Akron has played a tougher schedule and should be able to benefit from that reality. Iron sharpens iron, and Akron should be sharper after its offense failed to perform up to expectations against an improved Toledo defense which was very leaky in the early parts of the season but has tightened up in early February.
Why Ohio Could Cover the Spread
The Bobcats are getting Akron at a point in time when the Zips are vulnerable. Akron's game against Toledo was very draining and emotionally involving. It was a battle of teams at the top of the MAC standings. It was the biggest home game to date for the Zips this season. Playing the game took a lot out of them; losing the game might have taken even more out of them. Ohio could capitalize on Akron having a letdown following the loss to Toledo.
The other point to make here is that Akron beat Ohio by only six points at home just a few weeks ago. If Akron could not pull away from Ohio at home, Ohio has to feel really optimistic about being able to win outright on its home floor, at least if we accept the prevailing conventional wisdom that playing at home is worth six points in sports (three points compared to a neutral field, six points compared to playing the same team on the road).
Final Akron-Ohio Prediction & Pick
Stay away from this game. It feels like a total coin flip.
Final Akron-Ohio Prediction & Pick: Ohio -2.5
