Mid-American Conference Championship Game Betting Preview & Picks

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship Game is set, and it will be the Akron Zips taking on the Kent State Golden Flashes. All four of the teams in the Final Four were from Ohio, and this is one of the better rivalries in the conference. 

Akron entered this event as the number four seed in the conference, and they stunned Toledo in the semifinals to reach the title game. The Zips come into this one with a record of 23-9, and they have rattled off seven straight victories. 

Kent State was the number two seed in the MAC Tournament, and they managed to sneak by the Ohio Bobcats in the semifinals. The Golden Flashes have now won 14 games in a row to run their record to 23-9 on the season. 

The Kent State Golden Flashes are 2.5-point betting favorites over the Akron Zips in the MAC Championship Game. 

Zips Shutting Teams Down

The MAC is typically known for teams that love to score points on offense, but Akran has taken a slightly different approach. The Zips are giving up just 63 points per game this season, and they have been absolutely dominant on the defensive end over the last few weeks.

Forward Ali Ali has taken over the offense for the Zips as he leads the team with 14.2 points and 2.6 assists per game. Forward Enrique Freeman is averaging nearly 11 rebounds per game this season, and his size should play a role as well.

Akron has been able to win high-scoring games at times this season, but they will look to control the tempo and pace in this one.

Golden Flashes Speeding Teams Up

Kent State is a team that is scoring 71.5 points per game, but this team is capable of exploding nearly every time they take the floor. The Golden Flashes are also giving up more than 64 points per game, and they are comfortable playing at a fast pace.

Guard Sincere Carry has been an absolute star this season as he leads the Kent State team with 18.5 points and nearly five assists per game. The Golden Flashes can light it up in a hurry, and Akron can’t let this team get going.

Kent State is supposed to win this game, and it will be interesting to see how they handle that pressure on Saturday night.

Kent State Slips Past the Zips

There is not much separation between these two teams when looking at the overall stats, and there won’t be much separation on Saturday night. Kent State has been the better team overall, but Akron has been on a remarkable run of late.

The Golden Flashes did sweep the season series over the Zips, but the second matchup was incredibly close. Akron has been playing terrific basketball of late, but this is a matchup that clearly doesn’t work out well for them.

It’s always dangerous to bet the spread in MAC basketball games, but you’ll be safe with this one. Take the Kent State Golden Flashes -2.5 as they get past the Akron Zips on Saturday night. 

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