Akron vs Kent State Prediction, Props & Odds for Friday Night Basketball

• The Akron Zips host the Kent State Golden Flashes tonight as 3.5-point favorites
• Akron won at Kent State 85-71 earlier this season
• See the Akron vs Kent State Prediction, Props & Odds for tonight’s matchup

It’s a light night in college hoops with only one top-25 team in action. That means we can focus on some smaller schools with March Madness aspirations.

At the top of that list is the Akron Zips (22-6, 14-1 MAC), who are home chalk in the college basketball odds versus the rival Kent State Golden Flashes (19-9, 9-6 MAC).

Tip off for this Friday night basketball matchup is set for 9pm ET at the James A. Rhodes Arena, in Akron, OH, with ESPN2 providing the broadcast coverage.

Akron vs Kent State Odds

Akron is currently a 3.5-point favorite, in a contest with a total of 156.5. Per the college basketball public betting trends, the spread has held firm since opening odds were released, but the over/under is up 2 points. The Zips are -180 moneyline favorites, with Kent State coming back as +150 underdogs.

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Odds as of Feb 28 at DraftKings. See the full list of DraftKings deposit methods.

Akron vs Kent State Prediction

Akron can clinch the MAC regular season title with a victory tonight. The Zips have just one conference blemish through 15 games, and defeated the Golden Flashes on the road 85-71 last month. They currently project as a 13-seed in the March Madness odds, as they look to make their third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last four years.

They’re the number one scoring offense in the MAC. That firepower, combined with a shaky defense, has led to plenty of high-scoring games. This one has the ingredients to follow suit. I’m making over 156.5 my Akron vs Kent State pick.

Yes, we’re not getting the best of the number, but the market clearly sees this game the way I do. In addition to leading the conference in scoring, the Zips are also first in assist-to-turnover ratio, and second in field goal percentage. They take and make the most threes of any MAC program, while their top-five is loaded with upper classmen.

Nate Johnson and Tavari Johson lead the way offensively, averaging 14 and 13 points respectively. Each are shooting north of 45% from the field, and the duo combined for 35 points when these teams met last month. Akron is fresh off an 87-82 win over Ball State, marking the 13th time in their last 15 games they’ve scored 80+ points.

As good as the Zips offense is, the defense leaves a lot to be desired. They’re 147th in defensive rating per Kenpom, and 248th in scoring defense. One of their weaknesses is on the glass, which makes sense given their guard-heavy lineup. Akron is 232nd in total rebounding, and 238th on the defensive glass.

Kent State is built to take advantage of that, as they lead the MAC in offensive boards per game. Second-chance opportunities can help overcome their pedestrian shooting numbers, but it’s worth noting they’ve shot the ball well recently. They’re fresh off a 105-point performance, and have scored 90+ points in four of their last five contests. I’m betting on their offensive success continuing tonight.

• Akron vs Kent State Pick: Over 156.5 (-115)

Akron vs Kent State Props

College basketball props from DraftKings Sportsbook on Feb 28.

• Akron vs Kent State Props Pick: Both Teams Over 75.5 Points (+120)

Switching over to the props market, where I’m trying to correlate my prediction of a high-scoring game into a plus-money wager. Over 75.5 points for both teams fits the bill. The Akron offense is a class above in the MAC, while Kent State’s recent performances suggest they have a sky-high offensive ceiling as well.

Throw in a shaky Zips defense, and it’s not hard to envision a shootout. Each of the Golden Flashes last six games have seen both teams produce at least 75 points. I believe these two programs will eclipse that mark tonight.