Mercer Bears vs Samford Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 2/5/25
Betting on today’s Bears and Bulldogs game? Catch the action at Pete Hanna Center in Homewood, AL, as the Bulldogs hosts this showdown at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 158 points, and Samford is favored by -11 to win at home against Mercer.
MERCER BEARS VS SAMFORD BULLDOGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Mercer Bears +11
This game will be played at Pete Hanna Center at 7:30 ET on Wednesday, February 5th.
WHY BET THE MERCER BEARS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-71 in favor of the Bulldogs.
- Even though we have Samford winning straight-up, we like Mercer at +11.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 158 points, and we like the under with a projected 148 points.
Can the Bears Pull Off a Road Win?
Mercer Bears Recent Game/Games
Mercer’s season record dropped to 9-13 after a 93-84 road loss to Chattanooga on Saturday. The Bears entered the game as +7.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 177, surpassing the pre-game over/under line of 153.5.
Mercer led 48-41 at halftime but struggled defensively in the 2nd half, allowing 52 points while scoring only 36.
Mercer’s offense put up 84 points in their last game, shooting 46.2% from the field and 44% from three-point range, connecting on 11 of 25 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 55.4%, but they struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 52% of their shots, going 13 for 25.
Bash Wieland led the Bears with 22 points, despite shooting 22.2% from beyond the arc. Ahmad Robinson added 19 points and 6 assists, while Trey Bonham and Tyler Johnson each contributed 17 points, with Bonham grabbing 8 rebounds. Brady Shoulders was efficient, hitting 4 of 5 threes and finishing with 14 points.
Mercer’s defense struggled, giving up 93 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 45% from the field. Inside the arc, they gave up 16 two-point baskets on 29 attempts, a 55% shooting rate.
From three-point range, Mercer’s defense allowed 11 threes on 31 attempts, a 35% shooting percentage. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 36 times, where they converted 28 free throws, shooting 77%. Mercer allowed 8 offensive rebounds.
Can the Samford Offense Score Enough at Home?
Samford improved to 16-5 on the season with an 83-58 road win over The Citadel on Saturday. Entering the game as -16.5 favorites, Samford covered the spread, while the combined 141 points fell just short of the 143.5-point O/U line.
Samford took control early, leading 47-29 at halftime, and continued to outscore The Citadel 36-29 in the second half.
Samford’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 83 points with a field goal percentage of 58.2%. They were particularly effective from two-point range, hitting 80% of their attempts, and their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 69.1%. From beyond the arc, they connected on 40% of their 30 attempts.
The Bulldogs also dished out 20 assists, with Christian Moore leading the way with 19 points, despite shooting just 38.9% overall. Sola Adebisi added 18 points and 9 rebounds, while Trey Fort and Riley Allenspach each contributed 17 points, with Allenspach hitting 85.7% of his shots in just 17 minutes of action.
Samford’s defense held strong, giving up just 58 points while limiting their opponent to 33% shooting from the field. They were particularly effective inside, allowing only 6 two-point field goals on 21 attempts, a 28% shooting performance.
From beyond the arc, Samford’s opponent hit 10 threes on 27 attempts, good for 37%. They also sent them to the line 27 times, where they converted 16 free throws, shooting 59%. Samford allowed 9 offensive rebounds in the game.