James Madison (JMU) vs. Akron Prediction and Picks for Monday, November 3rd, 2025
Use Code SSWC College basketball season is upon us, and the action gets underway on Monday night with a MAC-SBC Challenge matchup between the James Madison Dukes (0-0) and the Akron Zips (0-0). We’ve got you covered with our James Madison vs. Akron prediction. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 ET from James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, OH. Read on for free NCAAB picks on this game, and check out that link for other game breakdowns.
Dukes Looking To Take Next Step
Coach Preston Spradlin is back for his second season as the lead man of the James Madison Dukes men’s basketball program, and he’s looking to build on a solid 20-12 (13-5 Sun Belt) debut campaign. The Dukes finished tied for first during the Sun Belt regular season, but were bounced by Troy (79-60) in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
As for the new campaign, the expectations are lofty. The Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll projects James Madison to place first. From a sports betting perspective, the Dukes are +400 to win the conference title. Only Arkansas State (+350) has shorter odds.
In terms of personnel, G Bradley Douglas was voted to the preseason first-team honors in the Sun Belt. Douglas comes over from Georgia Southern, where he averaged 12.6 PPG and secured 3.9 RPG. G Paul Jones III transfers in from Winthrop, where he averaged 7.6 PPG and 3.0 RPG en route to a Big South All-Freshman team nod. Overall, there are 13 newcomers for the Dukes this season.
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- Last year, James Madison scored 72.3 points per game, which was the 184th-best mark among D1 schools.
- The offense shot 42.9% from the field (248th) and 34.3% from three-point range (152nd).
- Defensively, they were 249th in adjusted defensive efficiency, conceding 110.4 points per 100 possessions.
Zips Went Dancing in 2024-25
Coach John Groce returns for his ninth season as the lead man of the Akron Zips, and the veteran coach has turned this program into a force in the mid-major landscape. His Zips have made the NCAA tournament in three of the last four seasons, including last year’s campaign, where they went 28-7 overall and won the MAC with a 17-1 record.
The expectations are high once again for the Zips, as they’re priced as the betting favorites (+125) to win the MAC regular-season title. The preseason coaches' poll also projects the Zips to win the conference, with them receiving 11 of the 13 first-place votes.
G Tavari Johnson was issued first-team preseason honors, while G Shammah Scott and wing Evan Mahaffey were named to the preseason all-conference second-team. Johnson scored 13.0 PPG and dished out 3.8 APG with Akron last season. Scott (9.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG) was also with the program in 2024-25, while Mahaffey comes over from Ohio State, where he scored 3.6 PPG and averaged 3.1 RPG last season.
- Akron is coming off a season where it tallied 83.4 points per game (eighth).
- The Zips shot 46.7% from the field (54th) and hit 36.4% of their triples (50th).
- On the defensive side, they were 182nd in adjusted efficiency, allowing 107.1 points per 100 possessions.
James Madison vs. Akron Pick
Spread Pick for James Madison vs. Akron
- Akron Zips -7.0 (-110) (5 units)
I’m riding with Akron on Monday, and I don’t mind laying this many points in a season-opening game. The Zips have been untouchable at home, going 16-0 SU in their last 16 games. Meanwhile, James Madison is just 2-14 ATS in its last 16 road games.
With all of the roster turnover that the Dukes are enduring, it may take some time before they mesh and get things rolling. On the flip side, the Zips have a couple of all-conference players returning, so they shouldn’t skip a beat in the “team chemistry” department. Akron averaged more than 83 points per game last season, and they’ll take on a James Madison side that was 249th in adjusted defensive efficiency last season. Factor in that Akron was one of the quickest teams in the nation–which will create more possessions for them to stretch out a larger lead, and we can start to see how a 10+ point win is within the range of possibilities.
Over/Under Pick for James Madison vs. Akron
- Over 155.0 (-110) (5 units)
This is a pretty lofty total, but anyone familiar with Akron’s brand of basketball knows it’s a pretty standard number for them. I’m locking in the over. The over is 6-1 in James Madison’s last seven games.
As I mentioned, Akron loves playing at a high pace. They finished last season ranked 15th in adjusted tempo, using 71.7 possessions per 40 minutes. Furthermore, neither school really relies on its defense. The Dukes were 249th in adjusted defensive efficiency last season, allowing 110.4 points per 100 possessions. The Zips were a mediocre 182nd (107.1). With a couple of veteran backcourts leading each program, I think the scoring will be plentiful on Monday night. I’ll take the over and predict this game lands in the 85-75 range.
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