Vermont Catamounts vs Merrimack College Warriors NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/9/24

The Catamounts and Warriors are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Warriors will host the game at Hammel Court in North Andover, MA. Vermont is the -6 point favorites in this non-conference matchup against Merrimack College. The over/under for the game is set at 128 points.

VERMONT CATAMOUNTS VS MERRIMACK COLLEGE WARRIORS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Vermont Catamounts -6

This game will be played at Hammel Court at 7:00 ET on Saturday, November 9th.

WHY BET THE VERMONT CATAMOUNTS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 81-67 in favor of the Catamounts.
• Not only will Vermont pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -6.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 128 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.

Will Vermont Shock Everyone at Hammel Court?

Vermont Catamounts Recent Game/Games

Vermont faced a tough challenge on Wednesday, November 6th, as they went on the road to take on Auburn. The Catamounts were +17.5 point underdogs going into the game and ended up losing 94-43.

Vermont trailed 46-21 at halftime and were outscored 48-22 in the second half. The total points for the game were 137, which was under the O/U line of 143.

Vermont’s offense struggled mightily in their last game, scoring just 43 points on 25.9% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 31%, and they hit only 21.7% of their threes, going 5-for-23 from beyond the arc. Inside the arc, they connected on just 28.6% of their two-point attempts.

The Catamounts managed 10 offensive rebounds and dished out 6 assists. At the free-throw line, they shot 72.7%, making 8 of 11 attempts.

Vermont’s defense struggled, giving up 94 points on 56% shooting from the field. They allowed 36 made baskets on 64 attempts.

From three-point range, Vermont’s opponents hit 16 of 35 shots, good for 45%. They also sent them to the line 11 times, where they made 6 free throws.

Can Merrimack College Deliver Being Underdogs at Home?

Merrimack College Warriors Records

Last season, Merrimack finished with a 19-12 overall record, including a 15-4 mark in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play. At home, they posted a 10-3 record, winning by an average of 7.5 points per game. On the road, they went 9-9, with an average scoring margin of +0.1 points per game.

The Warriors were 18-12 against the spread, with an 11-6 record on the road. As the favorite, they went 17-6 straight-up, but were 10-12 ATS. When listed as the underdog, they were 8-0 ATS. Their games averaged 132.4 points, and they had a 12-19 over/under record, with an average O/U line of 134.5 points.

Merrimack College Warriors Offense Stats

The Warriors averaged 69.2 points per game last season, ranking 260th in possessions per game (64.8). Their field goal percentage was 43% (263rd), with an effective field goal percentage of 50% (243rd). Merrimack was 108th in two-point percentage at 53% but struggled from beyond the arc, making 30% of their attempts, ranking 362nd. They made 7.3 threes per game (202nd) on 23.6 attempts (109th). The Warriors also averaged 13.7 free throws made per game, placing 187th.

Merrimack College Warriors Top Returning Offensive Players

Adam Clark, a guard, returns after averaging 13.4 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.5 rebounds in 33 games last season. Devon Savage, another guard, also played in 33 games, contributing 10.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

Last season, Merrimack College was one of the top defensive teams in the nation, allowing just 65.4 points per game, which ranked 21st in the country. They were also strong at defending the three-point line, holding opponents to 29.8% shooting, placing them 87th nationally. Merrimack allowed 17.1 free throws per game, ranking 115th in that category.

The Warriors were aggressive defensively, averaging 9.8 steals per game, which ranked 9th in the country. They also averaged 3.7 blocked shots per game, placing them 131st nationally.