Lafayette Leopards vs Mercyhurst Lakers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/7/24
Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Leopards versus the Lakers? Tip off is at at 3:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on NEC. The game will be played at Mercyhurst Athletic Center in Erie, PA. Lafayette is favored by -4.5 in this non-conference contest against Mercyhurst. The game’s over/under currently sits at 131.5 points.
LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS VS MERCYHURST LAKERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Lafayette Leopards -4.5
This game will be played at Mercyhurst Athletic Center at 3:00 ET on Saturday, December 7th.
WHY BET THE LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 82-68 in favor of the Leopards.
- Not only will Lafayette pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -4.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 131.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 150 points.
Can the Leopards Pull Out the Win as Road Favorites?
Lafayette Leopards Recent Game/Games
Lafayette fell to 3-5 on the season after an 82-81 home loss to Binghamton on Sunday. The Leopards, who were -6.5 favorites, failed to cover the spread.
After trailing 40-33 at halftime, Lafayette turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Binghamton 40-33. The total points for the game reached 163, surpassing the O/U line of 126.
Lafayette’s offense put up 81 points in their last game, despite shooting just 38.3% from the field and 29.6% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 45%, but they excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 27 of 29 attempts for a 93.1% success rate.
Chris Walker was a standout, shooting 58.3% overall and 75% from deep, finishing with 20 points. Ben Callahan-Gold also impressed, hitting 5 of 7 threes and shooting 75% overall, contributing 17 points.
Even though Lafayette held their opponent to 38% shooting, they still gave up 82 points. The Leopards allowed 15 two-point baskets on 33 attempts, a 45% conversion rate.
From beyond the arc, Lafayette’s defense limited their opponent to 8 threes on 27 attempts, a 29% success rate. However, they sent them to the free-throw line 29 times, where they hit 27, a 93% clip.
Can Mercyhurst Deliver Being Underdogs at Home?
Mercyhurst Lakers Recent Game/Games
The Lakers fell to 3-5 on the season after an 87-59 loss to San Francisco on Sunday. Despite being +30.5 point underdogs, Mercyhurst kept it closer than expected.
Mercyhurst led 36-32 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 23 points while allowing 55. The game’s total points of 146 went over the 133.5 O/U line.
In their last game, the Lakers put up 59 points, shooting 47.2% from the field and 46.2% from three-point range (6/13). Their effective field goal percentage was 52.8%, and they were perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all 3 attempts.
Malik Thomas led the way with 29 points, shooting 73.3% overall. Jeff Planutis added 19 points, making 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, finishing with an 80% shooting performance.
Despite Mercyhurst’s defensive efforts, they allowed 87 points on 58% shooting from the field. The Lakers struggled to contain their opponent inside, giving up 70% shooting on two-point attempts (26/37).
From beyond the arc, Mercyhurst’s defense held their opponent to 33% shooting, with 6 made threes on 18 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 31 times, where they converted 17 of those attempts (54%).