Kent State Golden Flashes vs Buffalo Bulls Prediction, 3/5/2021 College Basketball Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Kent State Golden Flashes vs Buffalo Bulls

Date: Friday, March 5, 2021

Location: Alumni Arena in Buffalo, NY

TV: ESPNU

Odds/Point Spread: Kent State (+5)

The Buffalo Bulls (13-7) play the Kent State Golden Flashes (15-6) at Alumni Arena on Friday. Buffalo opens this game as 5-point favorites. The total has been set at 152.

Kent State steps onto the hardwood with a win-loss mark of 15-6 so far this year. They turn it over 13.5 times per contest and as a squad they commit 17.0 fouls per contest. As a unit, Kent State is pulling in 40.1 rebounds per game and has earned 306 dimes so far this season, which is 133rd in D-1 in terms of passing. The Golden Flashes are hitting 33.3% on three-point attempts (172 of 517) and 77.7% from the free throw line. They average 77.8 pts per game (44th in the country) while connecting on 44.8% from the field. Defensively, the Golden Flashes are able to force 12.8 turnovers per game and they draw 17.0 personal fouls. They rank 135th in college basketball in allowing assists to the opposition with 260 conceded for the year. The Golden Flashes defensively are giving up a field goal percentage of 41.2% (524 of 1,271) and they relinquish 33.3 rebounds per contest as a unit. They surrender 34.1% on 3-point shots and they are ranked 172nd in D-1 in opponents points per game (70.0).

The Kent State Golden Flashes stepped onto the hardwood against the Miami RedHawks and earned the victory with a final of 64-51 in their last game. Kent State wrapped up the contest with a 44.1% FG percentage (26 out of 59) and made 6 of 16 3-pointers. At the charity stripe, the Golden Flashes knocked down 6 of 7 shots for a percentage of 85.7%. With regard to rebounding, they earned a total of 43 with 11 of them being of the offensive variety. They also distributed 11 assists for the matchup in addition to forcing the opposition into 8 turnovers and getting 1 steal. Pertaining to defending, Kent State allowed the other team to go 34.5% from the floor on 19 out of 55 shooting. Miami doled out 10 assists and had 4 steals in the game. In addition, Miami grabbed 25 rebounds (5 offensive, 20 defensive) and got 1 block. Miami ended up shooting 62.5% at the charity stripe by knocking down 5 of their 8 attempts. They also made 8 of their 25 tries from distance.

Tervell Beck is one guy who had an impact for this contest. He racked up 19 points on 6 out of 14 shooting. He played 36 minutes played and grabbed 12 boards. Beck walked away from this one shooting 42.9% from the floor and also distributed 3 assists. One more player that was a factor in this game for the Golden Flashes was Danny Pippen. He collected 10 rebounds in his 30 minutes on the basketball court. He finished 33.3% from the field in this matchup by shooting 6-of-18 (15 points). When the final whistle was blown, Pippen earned 1 assist.

Buffalo has a win-loss mark of 13-7 so far this season. The Bulls have committed 18.4 personal fouls per game while shooting 67.6% from the charity stripe. They are getting an assist 16.5 times per game (23rd in the nation) and they are turning it over 13.7 times per game. Buffalo has scored 1,656 points this year (82.8 per game) and they collect 44.2 rebounds per contest. As an offensive team, the Bulls are hitting on 46.4% from the field, which ranks them 74th in Division 1. The Bulls on defense are ranked 250th in college basketball in points given up per game with 73.0. They are able to force 13.7 turnovers on a nightly basis and have allowed teams to shoot 41.2% from the floor (69th in D-1). The Buffalo defense surrenders 28.1% from downtown (118 of 420) and their opponents are knocking down 75.3% of their shots from the charity stripe. They surrender 12.8 dimes and 35.8 rebounds every game, which is ranked 167th and 225th in Division 1.

The last time they took the court, the Buffalo Bulls got the win with a final of 80-78 when they played the Akron Zips. The Bulls pulled down 30 defensive rebounds and 15 offensive rebounds for a total of 45 for the matchup. They also coughed it up 16 times, while getting 10 steals in this contest. The Zips committed 20 fouls for this game which got the Bulls to the free throw line for a total of 25 shots. They were able to knock down 19 of the free throws for a percentage of 76.0%. When it comes to 3-point shots, Buffalo converted 5 of their 15 attempts (33.3%). Overall, the Bulls finished the game shooting 28 out of 67 from the field which had them sitting at 41.8%. The Bulls permitted the Zips to make 29 out of their 75 tries from the field which gave them a rate of 38.7% for the matchup. They went 25.9% from distance by going 7 out of 27 and ended up going 13 out of 14 at the free throw line (92.9%). In the matter of attacking the glass, Buffalo allowed Akron to snag 37 in all (11 on the offensive side).

Josh Mballa ended up having an impact for the Bulls in this contest. He converted 5 of 13 for the game for a field goal rate of 38.5%, and had 9 rebounds. Mballa recorded 15 points in his 34 mins of playing time and had 4 assists in this matchup. One more player that was important for Buffalo was Ronaldo Segu. He ended up walking away with 3 assists in 32 mins on the court, and he knocked down 3 out of 9 from the floor. Segu walked away from this one going 33.3% from the floor in addition to earning 14 points and 3 rebounds.

Who will win tonight's college basketball game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Kent State (+5)

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