Ball State vs Akron Prediction 1/13/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Ball State Cardinals and the Akron Zips will meet on Tuesday night in a Mid‑American Conference matchup at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio.

Ball State Cardinals Betting Preview
The Ball State Cardinals enter Tuesday’s contest with a 4–12 overall record, including an 0–4 mark in conference play and an 0-7 record on the road. Ball State has compiled wins over teams such as Mansfield, Louisiana and Le Moyne while losing games to Wisconsin, Little Rock, Indiana State and South Dakota. Two days ago, in the Massachusetts Minutemen’s 79-71 victory over the Ball State Cardinals, Ball State forward Preston Copeland amassed 12 points (4 of 4 shooting from the field) and 5 rebounds illustrating his ability to be a strong presence in the paint.   

The Ball State Cardinals are averaging 64.4 points on 39.5 percent shooting from the field and 30.4 percent shooting from three-point range per game. Defensively, the Cardinals are allowing opponents 73.8 points per contest.

Sophomore guard Davion Hill leads the Ball State Cardinals averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1 steal per game. Junior guard Joey Hart provides the Cardinals with further backcourt depth averaging 9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1 assist and 0.5 steals per contest. Senior forward Cam Denson adds 4.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.

Akron Zips Betting Preview

The Akron Zips enter Tuesday evening ’s contest with an 12–4 overall record, including a 3–1 mark in conference play and an 8-0 record at home. The Zips have compiled wins over Eastern Michigan, Tulane, Milwaukee and Iona, while dropping games to Murray State, Yale and the Purdue Boilermakers. In the Akron Zips 93-72 victory over Eastern Michigan earlier this season, Akron guard Tavari Johnson tallied 25 points on 11 of 14 shooting from the field illustrating his ability to lead the Zips from an offensive perspective.

The Akron Zips average 90.7 points (9th in nation) on 51.5 percent shooting from the field (10th in the country) and 38.5% from three‑point range per game. Shifting our focus to the defensive side of the basketball, the Zips are allowing opponents 78.3 points per contest.

Senior guard Tavari Johnson has been a standout performer for the Akron Zips in 2025, averaging 19.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Senior forward Amani Lyles is averaging 15.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals per contest providing the Zips additional frontcourt depth. Senior guard Shammah Scott adds 13 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.5 steals per game.

Why the Ball State Cardinals Will Win

•             Defensive edge. The Ball State Cardinals are allowing opponents 73.8 points per contest. Conversely, the Akron Zips are allowing 78.3 points per contest.

•             Quality guard play. Sophomore guard Davion Hill leads the Ball State Cardinals averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1 steal per game.

Why the Akron Zips Will Win

•             Elite offense. The Akron Zips average 90.7 points (9th in nation) on 51.5 percent shooting from the field (10th in the country) and 38.5% from three‑point range per game.

•             Balanced scoring. Five players are averaging over 10 points per game.

•             Home court dominance. The Akron Zips are 8-0 at home this season.

Ball State Cardinals vs. Akron Zips Prediction

This matchup featured the Akron Zips elite offensive ceiling and home court dominance against a Ball State Cardinals respectable defense metrics. The Zips have multiple shooters capable of getting hot, and their ball movement at home has produced several double‑digit runs in recent weeks. If Akron controls tempo and hits perimeter shots, this can get out of hand quickly. With that in mind, the spread becomes the cleaner angle. I am backing the Akron Zips to cover the 20.5 points in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Akron -20.5