Chattanooga Mocs vs Mercer Bears NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/1/25
The Mocs and Bears are set to face off at 3:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bears will host the game at Hawkins Arena in Macon, GA. Chattanooga is favored by -3 in this Southern conference matchup the against Mercer. The over/under for the game is set at 155.5 points.
CHATTANOOGA MOCS VS MERCER BEARS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Mercer Bears +3
This game will be played at Hawkins Arena at 3:00 ET on Wednesday, January 1st.
WHY BET THE MERCER BEARS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Bears.
- Not only will Mercer pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +3.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 155.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Does Chattanooga Have What it Takes to Win as Road Favorites?
Chattanooga Mocs Recent Game/Games
The Mocs fell to 6-5 on the season after a 74-65 road loss to Indiana on Saturday, December 21st. Chattanooga entered the game as +14.5 point underdogs but kept things closer than expected.
Chattanooga trailed 41-38 at halftime and were outscored 33-27 in the 2nd half. The combined points of 139 fell short of the O/U line of 153.5.
Chattanooga put up 65 points in their last game, shooting 40.7% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 49.2%, with 10 made threes on 28 attempts.
Honor Huff led the way with 20 points, hitting 6 threes at a 50% clip. Mackenzie Mgbako added 14 points, shooting 71.4% overall and 75% from deep, while Malik Reneau also contributed 14 points and 8 rebounds.
Chattanooga’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 74 points on 50% shooting from the field. The Mocs allowed their opponent to hit 63% of their two-point attempts, with 24 makes on 38 tries.
From beyond the arc, Chattanooga held their opponent to 25% shooting, as they connected on just 5 of 20 three-point attempts. The Mocs also sent them to the line 20 times, where they made 11 free throws, shooting 55%.
Is a Home Win Possible for Mercer?
Mercer Bears Recent Game/Games
Mercer improved to 5-6 on the season with a 71-68 road win over Georgia State on Saturday, December 28th. The Bears entered the game as +1 point underdogs and covered the spread with the win.
Mercer led 40-37 at halftime and both teams scored 31 points in the 2nd half. The game’s total points of 139 fell short of the 157.5 over/under line.
Mercer’s offense put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 41.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 49.2%. They connected on 31.2% of their three-point attempts, going 10-for-32 from beyond the arc, and hit 51.5% of their two-point shots. At the free-throw line, they struggled, making just 58.3% of their attempts.
Ahmad Robinson led the way with 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting 44.4% overall and 40.0% from three. Cesare Edwards contributed 20 points, hitting 60.0% of his shots, while Tyler Johnson added 19 points, shooting 46.7% from the field and 30.0% from three-point range.
Mercer’s defense held their opponent to 68 points while giving up 40% shooting from the field. The Bears allowed 28 made field goals on 70 attempts.
From beyond the arc, Mercer’s defense limited their opponent to 6/22 shooting, or 27%. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 14 times, where they made 6 shots for 42%.