The best defensive team in the MAC travels to meet the worst defensive team in the MAC in this Friday evening contest.
Kent State sits at 10-4 overall and 1-1 in conference play with most of its wins coming behind its defense. The Golden Flashes knocked off Northern Illinois 68-50 in their most recent outing. The Bulls (5-9, 0-2) have lost five in a row, and all but one have come by double-digits (and that was a nine-point loss to Ohio).
The Golden Flashes were one of the favorites to win the league entering the season (+400) and odds have slightly shifted (+500). Buffalo has the longest odds to win the league’s regular-season title (+25000).
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Kent State at Buffalo Betting Odds
Kent State is a 10.5-point college basketball odds favorite on BetMGM against Buffalo while the Over/Under is at 144.5.
The Moneyline for Kent State is at -600 and at +425 for Buffalo.
Kent State at Buffalo On TV
The matchup between Kent State and Buffalo will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
Tonight’s game tips off at 6 p.m. ET.
Kent State at Buffalo Prediction
I predict Kent State will cover the 10.5-point spread. I also predict that the game will go under 143.5 points.
Buffalo’s offense isn’t very good, and Kent State’s defense is great, as mentioned above.
Because of this, I just can’t anticipate Buffalo being able to score enough points to stay in this game, especially because I don’t think its defense will do enough to keep the Bulls within striking distance.
The Golden Flashes are allowing just 63.4 points per game, which doesn’t only rank first in the league but ranks 20th in Division I. Buffalo is allowing 82.4 points per outing and is surrendering 93 points per game in its last four contests, including 181 total points in its two conference games.
While Kent State isn’t necessarily a team that likes to push the ball up and down the court, expect them to control the shot volume in this one. The Golden Flashes should control the glass and do enough on the offensive boards to get enough second-chance opportunities to maintain a comfortable lead. They get an offensive rebound on 34% of their offensive possessions, while Buffalo allows an offensive rebound on 32.4% of their defensive possessions, per KenPom.
Kent State forward VonCameron Davis should have no problem getting to his spots and might even score 20+. He’s averaging 16.4 points per game, which ranks fifth in the conference. I expect him and Cli’Ron Hornbeak to be a little too much for Buffalo’s frontcourt. Hornbeak had 10 points and 11 rebounds in Tuesday’s win over NIU.
I know the Bulls are eager to get back on the winning track, but I think the Golden Flashes are just too good defensively and the Bulls haven’t shown enough for me to be comfortable laying the points with them.
Buffalo turns the ball over on 19.1% of its possessions, and Kent State forces a turnover on 21.3% of its possessions. Expect Kent State to have more possessions than the Bulls and to take advantage of them against a poor Bulls defense.
Kent State is 7-2 against the spread as a favorite and the over has hit in only three of Kent State’s games, and zero times while the Golden Flashes have been a favorite.
