The Ohio Bobcats take on the Ball State Cardinals in Muncie, Indiana. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. EST on CBS Sports Network.
Ohio is favored by 5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -225. The total is set at 146.5 points.
Here’s my Ohio vs. Ball State prediction and college basketball picks for January 16, 2026.
Ohio vs Ball State Prediction
My Pick: Under 146 or Better
My Ohio vs Ball State best bet is on the Under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Ohio vs. Ball State Odds
| Ohio Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5 -110 | 146.5 -110o / -110u | -225 |
| Ball State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5 -110 | 146.5 -110o / -110u | +185 |
- Ohio vs Ball State spread: Ohio -5
- Ohio vs Ball State over/under: 146.5
- Ohio vs Ball State moneyline: Ohio -225, Ball State +185
- Ohio vs Ball State best bet: Under 146 or Better
Ohio vs Ball State College Basketball Betting Preview
I think Ball State’s defense is criminally undervalued.
The Cardinals hedge and trap, which naturally allows a high 3-point rate. However, opponents cannot miss against them, with their six MAC opponents shooting nearly 45% from deep. That’s the only reason they’re 0-5 in league play.
I think we’ll see some regression on Friday, given that Ohio is a poor shooting team that doesn’t like to shoot. The Bobcats' offense is built more around cuts, posts, and Jackson Paveletzke's ball screens.
Sure, the Cardinals can’t stop any of those actions, either. But they’ll have a far easier time against an opponent that isn’t taking and making every single 3. They’re also a borderline-elite transition defense, which should hopefully force Ohio to play slower than it’d prefer.
On the other end of the court, Ball State’s offense is a mess. The Cardinals run a ball-screen-centric, downhill attack, but they’re shooting under 50% from inside the arc.
Ohio has its warts on defense, but the Bobcats will deny 3-point attempts, and they force the longest-average 2-point shot distance in the MAC. So, expect plenty of pull-up mid-range jumpers from the Cardinals.
Regardless, I project this total at 143 and would bet the Under at 146 or better, representing a 3-point difference from my projections and the market.
My Pick: Under 146 or Better
