Mercer Bears vs Queens (NC) Royals NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/18/24
Betting on today’s Bears and Royals game? Catch the action at Curry Arena in Charlotte, NC, as the Royals hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Queens (NC) as the -1.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 157.5 points.
MERCER BEARS VS QUEENS (NC) ROYALS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Mercer Bears +1.5
This game will be played at Curry Arena at 7:00 ET on Wednesday, December 18th.
WHY BET THE MERCER BEARS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-70 in favor of the Bears.
- Not only will Mercer pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +1.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 157.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 149 points.
Can the Mercer Offense Score Enough on the Road?
Mercer Bears Recent Game/Games
Mercer evened their record at 4-4 with a 75-63 win over Chicago State on Sunday. Playing at home, the Bears were -15.5 point favorites but didn’t cover the spread.
Mercer led 37-30 at halftime and added 38 points in the 2nd half while allowing 33. The total points for the game were 138, falling short of the 150.5 O/U line.
Mercer’s offense put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 43.9% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 4 of 24 attempts for 16.7%, but connected on 59.5% of their two-point shots.
Ahmad Robinson led the way with 25 points, despite missing all 5 of his three-point attempts. Noble Crawford added 20 points, hitting 4 of 7 from deep and contributing 6 assists and 9 rebounds.
Despite Mercer’s defense allowing 63 points, they struggled to contain their opponent inside, giving up 59% shooting on two-point attempts (25/42). However, the Bears did a solid job defending the perimeter, holding their opponent to just 4/24 from three-point range, a 16% shooting performance.
From the free-throw line, Mercer’s opponent went 13/16, hitting 81% of their attempts. The Bears also allowed 13 offensive rebounds in the game.
Is A Home Victory Likely for the Favored Royals?
Queens (NC) Royals Recent Game/Games
Queens (NC) improved to 4-5 on the season with an 85-83 road win over Gardner-Webb on Saturday. The Royals entered the game as +5.5 point underdogs and not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.
Queens led 44-36 at halftime but allowed 47 points in the 2nd half while scoring 41. The total points for the game reached 168, surpassing the O/U line of 155.5.
Queens put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 56.2% from the field and 52.9% from three-point range, hitting 9 of 17 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 66.7%, and they connected on 75.9% of their free throws, going 22 for 29 from the line.
Leo Colimerio led the way with 27 points, shooting 66.7% overall and 60.0% from deep. Darryl Simmons II added 23 points, hitting 3 of 6 from beyond the arc, while Jamaine Mann contributed 18 points on 87.5% shooting, also grabbing 7 rebounds.
Queens (NC) struggled defensively, giving up 83 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 61% from the field. The Royals had a tough time inside, with their opponent hitting 72% of their two-point attempts, going 24/33.
From beyond the arc, Queens allowed 8 threes on 19 attempts, a 42% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the line 22 times, where they made 11 free throws. The Royals gave up 9 offensive rebounds.