Kent State vs Akron Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for March 10 MAC Tournament (Golden Flashes Advance to Final)

Kent State vs Akron Game Info

• 2022-23 NCAA Basketball MAC Tournament Game
• Kent State (26-6, 15-3 MAC) vs. Akron (22-10, 13-5 MAC)
• Date: Friday, March 10, 2023
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse -- Cleveland, Ohio
• Coverage: CBS Sports Network

The MAC Tournament continues on Friday with an exciting matchup between the Akron Zips and Kent State Golden Flashes. These two programs have combined for a commendable 10 conference titles. The winner of this semifinal matchup will advance to face the victor of the Ohio vs Toledo showdown.

Akron enters as a victor in five of its last seven games following a 101-77 victory over the Buffalo Bulls in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Kent State has now won eight of its last nine games thanks to 76-57 win over Northern Illinois on Thursday.

Which squad will keep its conference title hopes alive? Let's explore.

Kent State vs Akron Odds & Spread

• All college basketball betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: KENT: (-130) | AKRON: (+108)
• Spread: KENT: -2.5 (-102) | AKRON: +2.5 (-120)
• Total: 134.5 -- Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

Kent State enters this contest as a small favorite on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 7:30 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 134.5 points, which is about average compared to Friday's projected totals.

Kent State vs Akron Betting Trends

• Kent State is 19-10-0 against the spread this year.
• Against the spread as 2.5-point favorites or more, the Golden Flashes are 15-9.
• Out of 29 Kent State's games so far this season, nine have hit the over.
• Akron has covered the spread 14 times in 30 games.
• The Zips have one win ATS (1-7) as a 2.5-point underdog or more this season.
• Akron has seen 16 of its 30 games hit the over.

Kent State Rank	Kent State AVG		Akron AVG	Akron Rank
78th	76.0	Points Scored	74.7	111th
44th	65.1	Points Allowed	66.6	72nd
145th	32.3	Rebounds	32.3	145th
109th	9.2	Off. Rebounds	8.6	180th
127th	7.8	3pt Made	9.2	25th
232nd	12.4	Assists	13.5	147th
119th	11.3	Turnovers	10.6	47th

Kent State vs Akron Prediction & Pick

Akron got the best of Kent State in a 67-55 home win in early February, but the Golden Flashes got their revenge with an 89-84 overtime win on March 3. The Zips were out-rebounded 35-27 in that second matchup, which is something they cannot afford to do if they want to advance to the final today.

The difference in this game is going to be made on the defensive side of the court. Kent State ranks 13th in defensive efficiency and is allowing only 65.7 points per game (No. 49 in NCAA). Akron does not have the offensive talent to overcome a tough matchup as it shoots 44.2% (No. 179 in NCAA).

Akron has lost seven of its last eight games as an underdog, so fade the Zips in the semifinals.

Final Score Prediction: Kent State: 70 | Akron: 65

Kent State vs Akron Best Bet

A 2.5-point spread shouldn't deter bettors from backing the favored Golden Flashes in the semifinals. Kent State is 6-3 against the spread (ATS) in its last nine games overall and 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games on a Friday. Seven of its last nine wins against Akron have come by at least three points, too.

Akron is only 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games on a Friday and owns a disappointing 5-7 away record on the season. Kent State owns a +4.5 average scoring margin on the road this year, which bodes well for its chances of winning on a neutral court in Cleveland. This is the Golden Flashes' game to lose.

Bet: Kent State Golden Flashes -2.5 (-102)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.