Ball State Cardinals vs Toledo Rockets Picks and Predictions for Saturday, January 31, 2026

The Ball State Cardinals will be on the road Saturday afternoon for a 12:00 PM matchup against the Toledo Rockets inside Savage Arena in Toledo, OH. Ball State has seven wins and 13 losses coming into Saturday. The Toledo Rockets return home Saturday with eleven wins and 10 losses this season. Ball State comes into Saturday playing good basketball, riding a three-game winning streak following a 5-point victory against Northern Illinois in their last outing. The Toledo Rockets return home Saturday, struggling as of late, having lost three of the last four after a point road loss to Akron in their last outing. Read more about this Ball State vs Toledo prediction! Struggling with handicapping? Try our NCAAB Predictions!

Ball State hunts the upset

The Ball State offense averages 67.9 points on 42% shooting from the floor this season through 20 games played. Defensively, the Cardinals are allowing 69.8 points per game, including an average of 63.6 points per game during their current three-game winning streak. Defensively, Ball State did the work in their last outing, giving up only 53 points on 35% shooting and 14% from beyond the arc. Offensively, Ball State was the better team, scoring 58 points on 45% shooting and knocking down 5 3-pointers. Ball State lost the rebounding battle by 5, but forced 11 turnovers to seal the victory. Armoni Zeigler led the way for the Ball State starters with 18 points on 15 shots and 35 minutes. Elmore James IV added seven points on five shots in 29 minutes. Davion Hill led the way up the Ball State bench with 18 points on 13 shots in 30 minutes of action.

Armoni Zeigler leads the Ball State offense this season with 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Davion Hill is second on the team with 12.6 points, as the only other player on the roster in double digits. Devon Barnes averages 9.2 points, and Joey Hart has averaged 9 points per game this season but has played just four times. Elmore James IV is 5th on the Ball State roster this season averaging 8.3 points in 24.4 minutes per game.

Key Injury Report for Ball State:

• Joey Hart (Questionable) - Foot
• Juwan Maxey (Questionable) - Illness

Toledo tries to get back to winning ways

The Toledo Rockets offense averages 82.2 points on 48% shooting from the floor this season through 21 games played. Defensively, Toledo held its own, allowing 78.9 points per game this year, but has given up an average of 87.3 points over its last three losses. Offensively, Toledo scored the ball well in their last outing, pouring in 81 points on 54% shooting and 55% from beyond the arc. The Rockets lost the rebounding battle by double digits and turned the ball over 15 times, and the loss period defensively, Toledo was obliterated, giving up 91 points, including fifty in the second half, to blow an 8-point halftime lead as Akron shot 51% from the floor, knocking down 10 triples in the game. Sonny Wilson led the way for the Toledo offense in their last outing with 22 points on 15 shots and 39 minutes. Leroy Blyden Jr. chipped in heavily with 20 points on 14 shots and 39 minutes. The other 3 Toledo scorers combined to score 21 points on 13 shots in the game against Akron. Jaylan Ouwinga added 13 points on eight shots in 26 minutes of action.

Sonny Wilson leads the Toledo offense this season with 17.1 points and 4.7 assists per game. Leroy Blyden Jr. is second with 16.3 points. Austin Parks averages 11.3 points, and Kyler Vanderjagt is fifth on the team, averaging 11 points per game. Big man Sean Craig averages 12.4 points and leads the team, pulling in eight rebounds per game.

Key Injury Report for Toledo:

None

Ball State vs Toledo Pick

• Ball State vs Toledo Spread Pick

Despite the recent skid, Toledo is the better team in this matchup and will return to its winning ways on Saturday. Toledo has been the better team all year and will end their recent skid. Expect the Rockets to pick things up on both ends of the floor as they do the work against a streaking Ball State team Saturday afternoon at home.Look for the Rockets to use their offensive edge to overwhelm a mediocre Ball State team. The Toledo offense will dominate from the outset, coasting to an easy win and cover in this matchup. Toledo ends their recent skid and halts Ball State's winning streak Saturday as the Rockets get the win and cover at home to pick up their 12th victory of the season.

• Ball State vs Toledo Over/Under Pick

Toledo scores a ton of points, but Ball State is an offensively challenged team. Look for the Rockets to get out early and control this game from the opening minutes as they roll to an easy victory. Despite the recent winning streak, Ball State still hasn't scored a ton of points, and that will continue in this game. Ball State will struggle to score in this matchup, which will affect the total. Take Ball State to struggle Saturday afternoon as the number goes well under the total in Toledo.