Many eyes in the college basketball world will be on Alumni Arena Wednesday as host Buffalo looks to handle the Ball State Cardinals in NCAAB action.

Supporters of the Cardinals have watched them go 12-7 and 6-7-1 ATS on the year, while the Bulls are at 12-6 and 8-9 ATS. In totals betting, the Bulls are 9-8, while the Cardinals have a 5-9 mark.



View Ball State vs Buffalo Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
College basketball odds makers opened the Bulls as 7.5-point favorites in this matchupl.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Bulls - Cardinals odds would favor the Bulls if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Buffalo is rated No. 28 in the current Odds Shark poll, while Ball State is at No. 139. Mathematical models based on recent stats and predictive formulas point to a 74-73 win for the Bulls.



How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Buffalo's No. 67 nationally ranked offense (73.6 points per game) against a Cardinals defense that sits as the No. 18 at 58.8 PPG. The Bulls have been averaging 46% from the field, more than the Cardinals have managed so far this season (43.5% on average).

Defensively, Ball State features the nation's No. 18-rated defense on the road, allowing 60.5 points per game. Buffalo, meanwhile, comes in at No. 63 nationally in scoring at home.

In their last action, Ball State was a 59-55 loser on the road against Ohio. They covered the 9-point spread as underdogs. Chris Bond scored 14 points in a futile effort to lead the Cardinals to a win (they lost 59-55 to Ohio at Ohio University Convocation Center on Saturday).

Buffalo won its last outing, a 74-59 result against Northern Illinois on January 28. They covered in that game as a 14-point favorite. The Bulls got 14 points from Javon McCrea as Buffalo ran past Northern Illinois 74-59 on Saturday at NIU Convocation Center.


Ball State Cardinals Trends:
When playing on Wednesday are 2-8
Before playing Miami (Ohio) are 5-5
After playing Ohio are 2-8
After a loss are 6-4

Buffalo Bulls Trends:
When playing on Wednesday are 6-4
Before playing Toledo are 5-5
After playing Northern Illinois are 6-4
After a win are 6-4

A few Cardinals at Bulls trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ball State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Buffalo
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ball State's last 6 games on the road
Ball State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Buffalo is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Buffalo's last 7 games when playing Ball State
Buffalo is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Buffalo's last 5 games when playing at home against Ball State


Next up:
Ball State home to Miami (Ohio), Saturday, February 4
Buffalo at Toledo, Saturday, February 4