Akron Dominates Ball State in MAC Matchup

Zips cruise to victory despite large spread

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Akron Zips cruised to a comfortable victory over the Ball State Cardinals in their Mid-American Conference matchup, winning by a wide margin despite being saddled with a large 14.5-15 point spread. Akron's dominant offensive efficiency and Ball State's offensive struggles proved to be the key factors in the lopsided result.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the significant talent and execution gap between the two programs, with Akron's high-powered offense proving too much for the struggling Ball State squad. The large spread reflected Akron's statistical dominance, though the market was hesitant to fully price in the Zips' advantage.

The details

Akron's offensive efficiency was on full display, as they shot 50.4% from the field and 37.4% from three-point range. The Zips' effective field goal percentage of 58.9% ranked 9th nationally, and they averaged 19 assists per game with just 10.7 turnovers. In contrast, Ball State struggled mightily on the offensive end, shooting just 41.2% from the field and 30.5% from three. The Cardinals' adjusted offensive efficiency ranked 346th out of 363 Division I teams.

  • Akron has won 9 of their last 10 games overall.
  • In MAC play, Akron is 12-1 straight up and averaging 84.5 points per conference game.
  • Ball State has lost 4 of their last 5 games, averaging just 55 points per game in those losses.

The players

Tavari Johnson

Akron's leading scorer, averaging 18.5 points and 5.2 assists per game.

Amani Lyles

Akron forward averaging 15.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Davion Hill

Ball State's leading scorer, averaging 11.7 points per game.

Armoni Zeigler

Ball State guard averaging 11.4 points per game.

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What they’re saying

“This game highlighted the massive talent and execution gap between these two programs.”

— Bryan Bash, Analyst (predictem.com)

What’s next

Akron will look to continue their strong conference play, while Ball State will try to regroup and find a way to spark their struggling offense.

The takeaway

Akron's dominant offensive performance and Ball State's offensive woes were the key factors in this lopsided MAC matchup. The large spread reflected Akron's statistical advantages, though the market was hesitant to fully price in the Zips' clear superiority.