Akron vs. Ohio Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Tuesday, Feb. 27 (Back the Bobcats)
The Ohio Bobcats have won six of their last eight games and have a big one on deck Tuesday night when first-place Akron visits the Convocation Center. After giving up 185 points over a two-game losing streak, Ohio bounced back defensively last week by holding a pair of opponents (Kent State and Northern Illinois) to under 60 points.
Akron started 10-1 in MAC with hopes of a second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance but have split its last four games. The Zips are coming off a 13-point win over Kent State and look for the regular-season sweep of the Bobcats as a short underdog on the road.
Here’s the betting preview for Tuesday’s MAC battle with a best bet.
If you’re looking to bet on any NCAA game tonight, FanDuel Sportsbook has an amazing promotional offer. New users who sign up with the link below and wager $5 will receive $150 in bonus bets if their first bet wins.
Sign up for FanDuel now!
Akron vs. Ohio Odds, Spread and Total
Akron vs. Ohio Betting Trends
- Akron is 13-11-1 ATS this season
- Ohio is 13-13 ATS this season
- Akron is 3-4-1 ATS as an underdog this season
- Ohio is 11-11 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 9-16 in Akron games this season
- The OVER is 13-12-1 in Ohio games this season
Akron vs. Ohio How to Watch
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 27
- Game time: 7 p.m. EST
- Venue: Convocation Center
- How to watch (TV): ESPN+
- Akron record: 20-7 (12-2 MAC)
- Ohio record: 15-12 (9-4 MAC)
Akron vs. Ohio key Players to Watch
Akron
Enrique Freeman: The 6-foot-7 senior is putting together a MAC Player of the Year campaign this season. He is sixth in the league at scoring (18.3 points per game) and leads the conference in rebounds (13). The double-double machine has posted nine of them in a row and posted 19-14 in Akron’s 67-58 win over Ohio Jan. 23.
Ohio
Jaylin Hunter: Hunter, a 6-foot senior guard, leads Ohio’s high-flying offense in scoring (14.4 points per game) while leading the MAC in assists (5). Hunter had scored in double figures in 10 consecutive games before a poor shooting performance in Saturday’s win over Northern Illinois, finishing with just 4 points on 2-of-6 shooting and missing all five of his free-throw attempts.
Akron vs. Ohio Prediction and Pick
Ohio has defied luck to climb into fourth place in the MAC. Per KenPom, Ohio is the No. 6 unluckiest team in the country (No. 357) and the Bobcats could use a little against the first-place Zips.
It’s strength-on-strength in this matchup as Ohio’s high-scoring offense (No. 104 in KenPom, No. 2 in the MAC in scoring) faces an Akron defense that leads the MAC in scoring, permitting just 65 points per game. The Bobcats are great at protecting the rock, ranking No. 15 in turnover percentage (No. 13 in steals), and knocking down shots from the perimeter (No. 62). Akron’s defense is No. 42 defending 3-point shots but ranks just No. 161 in against attempts from inside the arc.
But will Akron’s defense travel? The Zips gave up 70-plus points in two of its last three away games (both losses) and their one road win in that stretch was against last-place Buffalo. Ohio’s defense might rank No. 247 in efficiency, but the Bobcats are still middle-of-the-road in most major key metrics, sans offensive rebounding percentage (No. 297). Ohio is top-5 in the conference in effective field goal percentage and defending near the rim.
Where the Bobcats lack at the perimeter (No. 177), Akron can’t take advantage of, ranking 222nd in the country in 3-point shooting. With a big crowd on hand, back the Bobcats as a small favorite on their home court.
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.