Who’s Playing
Massachusetts @ Ball State
Current Records: Massachusetts 3-2; Ball State 1-3
What to Know
The Ball State Cardinals will take on the Massachusetts Minutemen at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday at McArthur Center. UMass will be strutting in after a win while the Cardinals will be stumbling in from a loss.
Ball State received a tough blow this past Friday as they fell 85-74 to the Weber State Wildcats. Guard Luke Bumbalough (14 points), center Payton Sparks (13 points), and forward Mickey Pearson Jr. (12 points) were the top scorers for Ball State.
Meanwhile, it was a close one, but this past Friday UMass sidestepped the UNCG Spartans for a 93-90 victory. UMass got double-digit scores from four players: guard Noah Fernandes (25), forward Trent Buttrick (18), guard Rich Kelly (14), and forward Dibaji Walker (12). Rich Kelly’s performance made up for a slower contest against Weber State this past Thursday.
The Cardinals are expected to lose this next one by 8. They have failed bettors playing the spread in all their past four games, so buyers beware.
Ball State is now 1-3 while UMass sits at 3-2. A pair of defensive stats to keep an eye on: Ball State has allowed their opponents to shoot 46.60% from the floor on average, which is the 41st highest shooting percentage allowed in college basketball. UMasses have had an even harder time: they have allowed their opponents to shoot 47.30% from the floor on average, which is the 29th highest shooting percentage allowed in college basketball. The good news? The teams might be seeing more of their shots fall.
How To Watch
- When: Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET
- Where: McArthur Center — St. Petersburg, Florida
- TV: CBS Sports Network
- Live Stream: CBSSports.com or fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Watch on your Phone: CBS Sports App
- Watch on Connected TV: CBS Sports App on Roku and Fire TV
Odds
The Minutemen are a big 8-point favorite against the Cardinals, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as an 8-point spread, and stayed right there.
Over/Under: -110
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Series History
This is the first time these teams have played each other within the last six years.
