East Tennessee State Buccaneers vs Mercer Bears NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/8/25
Betting on today’s Buccaneers and Bears game? Catch the action at Hawkins Arena in Macon, GA, as the Bears hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. In this Southern matchup, East Tennessee State is favored bt -2.5 vs. Mercer. The over/under for the game is 152.5 points.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE BUCCANEERS VS MERCER BEARS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Mercer Bears +2.5
This game will be played at Hawkins Arena at 7:00 ET on Wednesday, January 8th.
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 +2.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 152.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Will East Tennessee State Shock Everyone at Hawkins Arena?
East Tennessee State dropped to 6-7 on the season after a 81-78 home loss to Wofford on Saturday. The Buccaneers were -4.5 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread.
ETSU led 39-34 at halftime but allowed 47 points in the 2nd half while scoring 39. The total points for the game were 159, surpassing the O/U line of 140.5.
East Tennessee State’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, shooting 54.3% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 65.2%, with strong two-point shooting at 64%.
Quimari Peterson and Dillon Bailey led the way with 18 points each, while John Buggs III and Kyler Filewich added 16 points apiece. Filewich was particularly efficient, shooting 77.8% from the field and grabbing 8 rebounds.
East Tennessee State’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points on 54% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 64% of their two-point attempts, as the Buccaneers gave up 16 baskets inside the arc.
From three-point range, the Buccaneers allowed 9 made threes on 21 attempts, a 42% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 28 times, where they converted 19 free throws, shooting 67%.
Will Mercer Win at Home?
Mercer Bears Recent Game/Games
Mercer improved to 7-6 on the season with a 70-67 win over VMI on Saturday, January 4th. The Bears, who were -6 favorites, didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 137, well under the O/U line of 156.5.
Mercer led 34-26 at halftime but allowed VMI to score 41 points in the 2nd half while scoring 36 themselves.
Mercer’s offense put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 44.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.6%. They connected on 37.5% of their three-point attempts, hitting 9 of 24 from deep, while shooting 50% on two-pointers, going 16 for 32. Their free-throw shooting was a struggle, as they made just 57.9% from the line, hitting 11 of 19 attempts.
Rickey Bradley Jr. led the way with 30 points, knocking down 5 threes on 11 attempts, while Jah Nze added 25 points, hitting 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. AJ Clark contributed 12 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, while Alex Holt added 11 points and 9 boards. Ahmad Robinson chipped in 11 points and 5 assists.
Mercer held their opponent to 67 points on 40% shooting from the field, with the defense allowing 22 made field goals on 55 attempts. Inside the arc, they gave up 13 two-point baskets on 28 attempts, resulting in a 46% shooting performance.
From three-point range, Mercer’s defense allowed 9 made threes on 27 attempts, with the opponent shooting 33%. At the free-throw line, the opponent went 14/20, shooting 70%. Mercer also limited second-chance opportunities, giving up just 4 offensive rebounds.