Ohio Bobcats vs. Kent State Golden Flashes February 28 Betting Preview

The Ohio Bobcats will look to keep hold of the fifth seed in the Mid American Conference tournament on Tuesday when they take on the Golden Flashes of Kent State. 

The Flashes enter the game as a (-8) home favorite, with the total currently set at 145.5 points. The contest is scheduled for a 7:00 PM EST tip-off from the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center in Kent, OH. 

Matchup History

This in-state rivalry only dates back to the late 1970’s but as the two programs have long been a part of the Mid-American, they have met on the hardwood a great many times. 

Ohio leads the all-time series by a count of 95-57 though the Golden Flashes have come away victorious in ten of the last fourteen meetings, including three consecutive winning efforts. The Bobcats were able to hang with Rob Senderhoff’s club earlier this season and actually led at the half before eventually falling by just five points. 

Ohio Bobcats Team Overview

Ohio coach Jeff Boals has run a stable program in his four seasons in Athens, if unspectacular. This season’s club has struggled mightily offensive but also ranks as a top 75 team in the adjusted offensive efficiency metric. They don’t turn the ball over all that much, and they shoot the ball from deep extremely well, ranking 22nd in the nation at 37.5 percent during the campaign. 

Against the spread, Ohio has been fairly mediocre this season with a record of 14-13-1. The Bobcats margin of victory number is just five points per contest but takes a dive in true road games to -3.6. They are also underperforming the spread by -2.5 points per contest on the road, which ranks second worst in the league. 

In their most recent contest, the Bobcats shot just 39.6 percent from two-point range and 13-21 from the free-throw line, which resulted in a loss to lowly Miami (OH). This group has the capability to play spoiler in the MAC postseason tournament if they can get it together.

Visit betJACK today and receive a $100 bonus bet on your first deposit of $50!

Kent State Golden Flashes Team Overview

Despite a recent disappointing loss to Ball State, the Golden Flashes have been arguably the best team in the MAC all season long. Coach Senderhoff’s club closes the season with two consecutive home games before the postseason tournament, which serves as an opportunity to put themselves in a zone and return to the NCAA Tournament. 

The Flashes remain at the top of the league in terms of record against the spread at 17-10 this season. As the home team, they have covered in eight of their eleven opportunities and have defeated their opponents by an average of over twenty points per game. They rank third in the MAC by defeating the spread by an average of +4.2 points per contest at home. 

The knock on star guard Sincere Carry has long been his inability to shoot the long ball. Over his last three contests, he has connected on 7-13 three-point attempts but has shot just 12-33 from within the arc. He does have nearly as many steals (five) as turnovers (eight) to go along with 14 helpers over that span, so there are more good things than bad. 

The Expectation

Ohio’s struggles on the road, coupled with Kent State’s sparkling play at home, should make this a fairly easy decision.