Merrimack College Warriors vs Niagara Purple Eagles NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24

Planning on watching today’s Warriors and Purple Eagles game? Catch the action at Gallagher Center in Niagara Falls, NY, as the Purple Eagles hosts this showdown at 1:00 ET on ESPN+. Merrimack College is favored by -1.5 in this Metro Atlantic Athletic conference matchup the against Niagara. The over/under for the game is set at 126.5 points.

MERRIMACK COLLEGE WARRIORS VS NIAGARA PURPLE EAGLES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Niagara Purple Eagles +1.5

This game will be played at Gallagher Center at 1:00 ET on Sunday, December 8th.

WHY BET THE NIAGARA PURPLE EAGLES:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 85-63 in favor of the Purple Eagles.
• Not only will Niagara pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +1.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 126.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.

Can the Warriors Lock in a Win at Niagara Falls?

Merrimack improved to 3-6 on the season with a 60-52 road win over Canisius on Friday. The Warriors, who were favored by seven points, covered the spread. The game’s total points of 112 fell well short of the O/U line of 133.

After trailing 27-20 at halftime, Merrimack turned things around in the second half, scoring 40 points while holding Canisius to 25.

Merrimack struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 29.6% from the field and 28% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 37%, and they managed only 8 offensive rebounds and 9 assists as a team.

Adam Clark led the way with 22 points and 4 assists, despite shooting 33.3% from the field. Tana Kopa added 15 points, hitting 3 of 11 threes, while Jasman Sangha contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes.

Merrimack College put on a defensive clinic, holding their opponent to just 52 points on 29% shooting from the field. The Warriors were particularly effective at defending the three-point line, where they limited their opponent to 6 made threes on 31 attempts, a 19% success rate.

Inside the arc, Merrimack allowed 13 two-point baskets on 33 attempts, with their opponent shooting 39% from two-point range. The Warriors also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 8 times, where they converted all their attempts.

Can the Purple Eagles Lock in a Home Win?

Niagara Purple Eagles Recent Game/Games

Niagara improved to 3-5 on the season with a 69-68 win over Siena on Friday, December 6th. The Purple Eagles were favored by 2 points at home but didn’t cover the spread.

After a 28-28 tie at halftime, Niagara scored 41 points in the 2nd half while allowing 40. The game’s total points of 137 exceeded the O/U line of 127.5.

Niagara’s offense put up 69 points in their last game, shooting 48.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.8%. They hit 42.1% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 19 attempts, and were strong at the free-throw line, making 17 of 20 for 85%.

Justice Smith and Major Freeman each scored 17 points, with Smith hitting 4 of 5 threes. Myles Wilmoth was perfect from deep, going 4 for 4, and finished with 16 points. The Purple Eagles had 14 assists, with Freeman dishing out 5.

Niagara’s defense gave up 68 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 48% from the field. They struggled to contain two-point shots, with the other team hitting 53% of their attempts (14/26).

From beyond the arc, Niagara allowed 8 threes on 19 attempts, a 42% shooting rate. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 17 free throws, an 85% success rate. Niagara limited offensive rebounds, giving up just 3.