by Chuck Sommers
Thursday, Feb 16, 2023
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Venue: M.A.C. Center, Kent, OH
Where to watch: CBS Sports Network
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Kent State -17
FanDuel: Kent State -16.5
BetMGM: NL
Caesars: NL
Season record
Eastern Michigan: 6-20 (3-10 MAC)
Kent State: 21-6 (11-2 MAC)
February is here and the college basketball season is taking full shape. Conference races still to be determined, the top 25 completely in shambles for what seems like every week, and there's bound to be an upset what seems like every single week. But as the season continues to progress with what seems like exciting action every week, you know our champion handicappers continue to put the work in each and every week to not only make money for them, but to ensure you get money in your pocket. All you need to do is look at the last 30 days. Scott Rickenbach has reeled in a net profit of $14,000 with a 24-9-0 run on the college hardwood. Team Del Genio has killed it with a 13-1-0 run at +$11,900. Will Rogers (28-15-0) and Matt Fargo (40-27-0) have also seen five figures over the last 30 days with college basketball. Surely, you want to get on this winning as well. All you need to do is go to bigal.com, check out our Best Bets page and make sure you are following along on the action. March will be here before you know it! Take advantage of our best best plays and find out what our champion handicappers are doing at bigal.com!
Eastern Michigan - Kent State preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Eastern Michigan: lost 78-51 vs. Akron
Kent State: won 82-58 at Western Michigan
Now that we're nearing the end of the regular season and conference tournament time is ahead, it might be time to start looking at the teams that we haven't really seen much of on the national scale and get used to them. The Kent State Golden Flashes are that team in this regard, atop the MAC and looking to put a stamp on a regular season conference title. They can move one step closer to that on Friday when they host the Eastern Michigan Eagles.
Kent State is coming into this one winners of three in a row with the latest being an 82-58 win at Western Michigan on Tuesday in what was a complete effort. Kent State shot 48.4 percent from the floor and converted on 38.1 percent of their 3-pointers. It also helped that they only turned the ball over 12 times and forced 20 from the Western Michigan side.
Voncameron Davis led all scorers with 21 points and five rebounds, with three more players also scoring in double figures. Kent State has been led for most of the season by Sincere Carry, who has averaged 16.3 points and 5.1 assists in 36 minutes a night. Even though he had just 7 points on 3 of 10 last time out, Carry still impacted the game with four steals and only turning it over one time.
Kent State has been nothing but dominant against the spread as of late, going 22-5 after covering the previous game. The Flashes are also 6-1 ATS in the last seven after an outright win of 20 or more.
Eastern Michigan is getting as high as 17 points in this one, which of course is suitable for a 6-20 team. But they still have talent that's capable of making things exciting. Talking of course about Emoni Bates, who is averaging 20.2 points per game on 41.9 percent shooting. Bates was held to just 13 points on 3 of 13 shooting in 19 minutes, however, in EMU's 78-51 loss to MAC power Akron the other day.
Eastern Michigan shot 38 percent from the floor and was held to just 1 of 15 from 3-point range. That one make was from Bates, which tells you all you need to know with that game.
The Eagles have covered in their last four road games, which could be a good sign if you're looking for the heavy underdog play, and they've covered in six of their last seven. But it's hard to gauge where you think either team is at from a spread perspective, because Eastern Michigan is such a weird team with up-top talent but nothing underneath.
Prediction
The favorite has covered in four of the last five meetings, but with this spread, that might be a tough call. That's how good Kent State has been this year. Whether that can be sustainable remains to be seen. Kent State 79, Eastern Michigan 60
Now that we're nearing the end of the regular season and conference tournament time is ahead, it might be time to start looking at the teams that we haven't really seen much of on the national scale and get used to them. The Kent State Golden Flashes are that team in this regard, atop the MAC and looking to put a stamp on a regular season conference title. They can move one step closer to that on Friday when they host the Eastern Michigan Eagles.
Kent State is coming into this one winners of three in a row with the latest being an 82-58 win at Western Michigan on Tuesday in what was a complete effort. Kent State shot 48.4 percent from the floor and converted on 38.1 percent of their 3-pointers. It also helped that they only turned the ball over 12 times and forced 20 from the Western Michigan side.
Voncameron Davis led all scorers with 21 points and five rebounds, with three more players also scoring in double figures. Kent State has been led for most of the season by Sincere Carry, who has averaged 16.3 points and 5.1 assists in 36 minutes a night. Even though he had just 7 points on 3 of 10 last time out, Carry still impacted the game with four steals and only turning it over one time.
Kent State has been nothing but dominant against the spread as of late, going 22-5 after covering the previous game. The Flashes are also 6-1 ATS in the last seven after an outright win of 20 or more.
Eastern Michigan is getting as high as 17 points in this one, which of course is suitable for a 6-20 team. But they still have talent that's capable of making things exciting. Talking of course about Emoni Bates, who is averaging 20.2 points per game on 41.9 percent shooting. Bates was held to just 13 points on 3 of 13 shooting in 19 minutes, however, in EMU's 78-51 loss to MAC power Akron the other day.
Eastern Michigan shot 38 percent from the floor and was held to just 1 of 15 from 3-point range. That one make was from Bates, which tells you all you need to know with that game.
The Eagles have covered in their last four road games, which could be a good sign if you're looking for the heavy underdog play, and they've covered in six of their last seven. But it's hard to gauge where you think either team is at from a spread perspective, because Eastern Michigan is such a weird team with up-top talent but nothing underneath.
Prediction
The favorite has covered in four of the last five meetings, but with this spread, that might be a tough call. That's how good Kent State has been this year. Whether that can be sustainable remains to be seen. Kent State 79, Eastern Michigan 60
Betting trends
Eastern Michigan is 2-9 ATS when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season.
Eastern Michigan is 18-26 ATS after a conference game the last 3 seasons.
Kent State is 6-6 ATS against conference opponents this season.
Kent State is 10-3 ATS after an under this season.
Projected starting lineup
Eastern Michigan:
PG: Noah Farrakhan
SG: Tyson Acuff
SF: Jalin Billingsley
PF: Legend Geeter
C: Emoni Bates
Kent State:
PG: Jalen Sullinger
SG: Sincere Carry
SF: Voncameron Davis
PF: Malique Jacobs
C: Miryne Thomas
Injury report
None
None
Statistical leaders
Eastern Michigan:
Points: Emoni Bates -- 20.2
Rebounds: Emoni Bates -- 5.6
Assists: Tyson Acuff -- 2.8
Kent State:
Points: Sincere Carry -- 16.3
Rebounds: Cli-Ron Hornbeak -- 5.4
Assists: Sincere Carry -- 5.1
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Eastern Michigan - Kent State prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily college basketball projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
