The No. 16 Virginia Tech Hokies (1-0) square off against the Ball State Cardinals (1-1) in the Charleston Classic at TD Arena. The game will air on ESPN2 at 11:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 15, 2018.
Ball State Cardinals vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Betting Prediction
The last time the Cardinals played, they were beaten by the No. 24 Purdue Boilermakers, 84-75. Purdue’s turnover percentage was their largest advantage over Ball State. The Boilermakers had a rate of 12.1, while the Cardinals posted a mark of 23.0. Tayler Persons led Ball State in scoring with 19 points on 5-for-13 shooting.
The Hokies had no trouble getting past the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs in their last outing, 87-59. The Hokies had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (35.5 vs. 15.4) and had a much better turnover percentage (21.9 vs. 34.8). Nickeil Alexander-Walker was the top scorer from either team with 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting from the field.
The prolific offense of Virginia Tech will face off against the mid-tier defense of Ball State. Since the 2017-18 season, the Hokies rank 33rd in offensive efficiency, while the Cardinals are 195th in defensive efficiency. The Hokies figure to have the edge on that end of the court.
Ball State vs. Virginia Tech Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Virginia Tech, ATS Winner – Virginia Tech, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Notes (2017-Present):
Ball State ranks 74th in rebounds per game (37.7) while Virginia Tech ranks 284th (32.8).
The Hokies rank 35th in steals allowed per game (5.2) while the Cardinals rank 212th (6.8).
Ball State averages 22.6 three pointers per game, which ranks 136th in the nation. Virginia Tech ranks 293rd in three pointers allowed per game (25.4).
The Cardinals rank 129th in blocks per game (3.5) while the Hokies rank 252nd (2.3).
Virginia Tech ranks 23rd in assists per game (16.5) while Ball State ranks 136th in assists allowed per game (13.1).
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