Friday’s Tip Sheet

The final Friday of January is rather quiet when it comes to betting on college basketball. However, there are a pair of matchups in the MAC and Atlantic 10 that could attract some attention from the public.

The early start sends the Akron Zips on the road to face the Kent State Golden Flashes. A little later Friday night, the VCU Rams head to Kingston to tangle with the Rhode Island Rams.

Akron Zips at Kent State Golden Flashes
(CBS Sports Network, 6:30 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: >Kent State -2.5, Total 148
Provided by Unibet (NJ and PA only)
Odds subject to change

Betting Matchup

At 6-2 straight-up in conference play, the Zips are one game ahead of Kent State in the MAC standings and one game out of the lead held by Bowling Green. They are coming off Tuesday’s surprising 77-74 loss to Buffalo as 7 ½-point home favorites. They have now failed to cover in three of their last four games. Akron is 7-2 SU over its past nine games as part of an overall record of 16-5. It is 11-8 against the spread with the total staying UNDER in four of the last six games.

The Zips are averaging 77.8 points per game and allowing 65.2 points on defense.

Kent State (15-6 SU, 10-8-1 ATS) snapped a recent three-game skid (SU and ATS) with back-to-back road wins as an underdog against Buffalo and Toledo. It is 2-4 ATS over its last six games. With 83 points in Tuesday’s 13-point win against Toledo, the Golden Flashes were able to erase a 21-point deficit.

Troy Simons ended that game with 21 points. Kent State is averaging 78.3 PPG while giving up 69.0 points a game.

Betting Trends

-- The Zips are 6-1 ATS in seven previous road games this season and the total has stayed UNDER in three of their last four games on the road.

-- The Golden Flashes have covered in five of their last seven home games with the total going OVER or ending as a PUSH in five of those contests.

-- The home team has won the last four meetings SU with the series tied 2-2 ATS. The total stayed UNDER in all four of those games and it has stayed UNDER in nine of the last 10 games between the two.

VCU Rams at Rhode Island Rams
(ESPN2, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: >Rhode Island -1, Total 141
Provided by Unibet (NJ and PA only)
Odds subject to change

Betting Matchup

VCU has run its current winning streak to four games (SU and ATS) with Tuesday’s 87-68 romp over Richmond as a 9 ½-point home favorite. The Rams are 6-2 SU in conference play as part of an overall record of 16-5. One of those A 10 losses was a 65-56 setback at home to Rhode Island on Jan. 11. The Rams closed as 8 ½-point favorites in that game. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five outings.

Junior forward Marcus Santos-Silva leads all scorers with 13.2 points per game and he has a team-high 9.2 rebounds a game.

The other Rams in this matchup have a SU 7-1 mark in A 10 play. After an opening loss to Richmond, they have won their last seven games while going 6-1 ATS. The total has gone OVER in recent double-digit road victories against St. Bonaventure and George Mason after staying UNDER in the previous six games. Rhode Island is 15-5 SU with an 11-9 record ATS.

Jeff Dowtin scored 20 points and Tyrese Martin added 18 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s 78-64 win at George Mason.

Betting Trends

-- The Rams are 0-4 ATS in all four games this season closing as underdogs. The total has gone OVER in four of their last six road games.

-- The Rams have failed to cover in three of their last five home games while going 4-1 SU. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last six games at home.

-- Rhode Island’s earlier win this year raised its record to 7-3 both SU and ATS in its last 10 games against VCU. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in five of the last six meetings.