The Bobcats will play the Cardinals on Friday, January 16th, 2026. Your timezone's tip off time is 8:30 pm EST. Check local listings or your nearest streaming app for coverage.
Review our College Basketball Betting guide to learn how to bet this game.
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Table of Contents
- Matchup Stats
- Moneyline Mage
- Best Odds
- Interactive Odds Example
- Prop Bets
- Team Standings
- Futures Odds
- Team Pages
- Other Games Today
Key Matchup Stats
Looking into the second half of the 2025-26 college basketball season, Ohio and Ball State are set to hit the hardwood on Friday, January 16th, 2026. Luckily, we have some clear performance trends emerging now that each team has more than a dozen games under their belts. Use the following data to help analyze this matchup and to place an intelligent wager on its ultimate outcome.
- SportsBetting3.com Power Rankings - With the 2025-26 season in full stride, Ohio currently has a 96.33 conference power ranking, while the SportsBetting3.com conference power ranking for Ball State is 91.67.
- Away Ohio - Ohio starts this game with a 2-3 record as an away team, ranking them 4th in the MAC Conference for away team wins.
- Home Ball State - Ball State meets Ohio boasting a 3-4 record as a home team. They currently rank 6th in the MAC Conference for home team wins.
- Conference Win Percentage - Ohio currently ranks 3rd (0.667) in the MAC Conference, with Ball State now standing 10th (0.000) for their conference win percentage in the 2025 MAC Conference for the 2025-26 college basketball season.
- Overall Win Percentage - Ohio has a 0.556 overall win percentage, with Ball State matching up with a 0.235 overall win percentage.
- Team Records - Ohio currently possesses 10-8 regular season overall record. Meanwhile, Ball State has tallied a 4-13 standing as the 2025-26 college basketball season continues to unfold.
Moneyline Mage
Spelling out the winners with humor since the middle ages.
Hear ye, hear ye! Ohio 10-8, Ball State 4-13 clash in epic battle.
Ohio 4-2 MAC, Ball State 0-5 MAC fight for conference glory.
Review the tables below to find the best point spread, total, and moneylines for this game. You can bet on college basketball legally at BetRivers and BetMGM. We've also listed each team's futures odds and current standings below.
Ohio seeks redemption after losing streak, while Ball State fights to break curse. Wizards predict a fierce contest as both teams hunger for victory. May the best team prevail on this magical night!
Best Bobcats at Cardinals Odds
| Underdog Ball State | Favorite Ohio |
|---|---|
| Over | Under |
|---|---|
| Underdog Ball State | Favorite Ohio |
|---|---|
Matchup Odds FAQs
Ohio is a -5.5 -105 point spread favorite at BetMGM, while Ball State is a +5.5 -115 point spread underdog at BetMGM.
The best over line is 147.5 -110 points at BetMGM, which means you risk $110 to win $100 betting the over. The best under line is 147.5 -110 points at BetMGM, and that means you risk $110 to win $100 betting the under.
Ohio is a -225 moneyline favorite at BetMGM and Ball State is a +185 moneyline underdog at BetMGM.
College Basketball Odds Example
|
Game |
 BetMGMBet |
|---|---|
Ohio
Ball State
1/16/26 8:30pm EST | -5.5 -105+5.5 -115 |
Underdog Ball State - Ball State bettors risk $100 to win $86.96 at -115 odds.
A +5.5 Ball State underdog bet wins if they lose by 5 or fewer, tie, or win outright. Your bet loses if they lose by 6 or more.
Favorite Ohio - Ohio bettors risk $100 to win $95.24 at -105 odds.
A -5.5 Ohio favorite bet wins if they win by 6 or more. Your bet loses if they win by 5 or fewer, tie, or lose outright.
Ohio at Ball State Prop Bets
Important Note: Some states expressly forbid individual college athlete prop bets. The following wagers may not be available depending on your particular state laws.
| BetMGM Bet |
|
|---|---|
Ohio
Ball State
First to 5 Points
1/16/26 8:30pm EST | -140+100Bet |
Ohio
Ball State
First to 10 Points
1/16/26 8:30pm EST | -155+110Bet |
Ohio
Ball State
First to 15 Points
1/16/26 8:30pm EST | -160+115Bet |
Ohio
Ball State
Game to Overtime
1/16/26 8:30pm EST | Yes +825No -3000Bet |
Team Standings
| Team | W-L | Win% | Home | Away | Conf | CGB | Conf% | Strk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 14-13 | 0.519 | 10-4 | 3-7 | 8-6 | +5.5 | 0.571 | W1 |
| Ball State | 8-18 | 0.308 | 5-6 | 2-11 | 3-10 | +10 | 0.231 | L3 |
Ohio & Ball State Futures Odds
Latest College Basketball Championship odds, if available, for each team. Review March Madness odds for other teams and learn how to bet on the college basketball tournament. Also be sure to read Ron Halfback's Final Four write-up.
Ohio Championship OddsNo NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament TM Ohio YR: futures available
Ball State Championship OddsNo NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament TM Ball State YR: futures available
Ohio & Ball State Team Pages
Review each team's futures odds, betting bonuses, current standings and other valuable information on our exclusive team betting odds pages. Team betting odds and stats update throughout the season:
How to Bet on the Game
Time needed: 4 minutes.
How to Bet on the Ohio vs Ball State College Basketball Game
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Open a new sports betting account before game time.
Review our list of sports betting sites. Open a new account before the game starts on Friday, January 16th, 2026 at 8:30 pm EST, making sure to enter all your personal details correctly. Don't forget to add your bonus code.
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Visit the sportsbook’s cashier, banking, or deposit page.
Navigate to the sportsbook's deposit page. Use your Visa card or MasterCard, or deposit with a bank transfer, or other methods like Paypal.
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Tap to the sportsbook's College Basketball page, look for the Ohio vs Ball State Game.
Navigate to the sportsbook's College Basketball page. Next, look for live or upcoming matchups. Select the Ohio vs Ball State Game.
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Choose your bet and place a wager.
Choose your bet and then use the funds you deposited to place a wager. The sportsbook will pay your winnings or deduct a losing wager from your account balance after the game.