Lafayette Leopards vs Mercyhurst Lakers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Lafayette vs Mercyhurst NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Erie.

Lafayette vs Mercyhurst Prediction

The Leopards and Lakers are set to face off at 3:00 ET on NEC. The Lakers will host the game 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 vs. Mercyhurst Matchup At A Glance

  • Sport: NCAAB
  • Teams: Lafayette Leopards at Mercyhurst Lakers
  • Where: Erie at Mercyhurst Athletic Center
  • Date: Saturday, December 7th
  • Betting Odds LAFAY -4.5, LAFAY -210 | MRCY +169 O/U 131.5

Leopards Preview: Will Lafayette Come Through as Road Favorites?

Lafayette Leopards Recent Game/Games

Lafayette fell to 3-5 on the season after a narrow 82-81 home loss to Binghamton on Sunday. The Leopards were -6.5 favorites heading into the game but failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 40-33 at halftime, Lafayette turned things around in the second half, outscoring Binghamton 40-33. The game’s total points of 163 exceeded the over/under line of 126.

Leopards Offense Breakdown

Lafayette put up 81 points in their latest game, despite shooting just 38.3% from the field and 29.6% from beyond the arc. They were highly efficient from the free-throw line, hitting 27 of 29 attempts for a 93.1% rate.

Chris Walker and Ben Callahan-Gold were key contributors, with Walker shooting 58.3% overall and 75% from three. Callahan-Gold connected on 5 of 7 threes, finishing with 17 points and a 75% shooting percentage.

Leopards Team Defense

Despite holding their opponent to 38% shooting from the field, Lafayette allowed 82 points in their last game. The Leopards gave up 15 two-point baskets on 33 attempts, a 45% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Lafayette's defense limited their opponent to 29% shooting, with 8 made threes on 27 attempts. However, they sent their opponent to the free-throw line 29 times, where they converted 27 for a 93% success rate.

Lakers Preview: Will Mercyhurst Find a Way to Win at Home?

Mercyhurst dropped to 3-5 on the season after an 87-59 loss to San Francisco on Sunday. Despite being heavy +30.5 underdogs, the Lakers kept things closer than expected.

Mercyhurst led 36-32 at halftime, but things fell apart in the 2nd half, as they were outscored 55-23. The total points for the game reached 146, going over the pre-game line of 133.5.

Lakers Offense Breakdown

In their last game, the Lakers put up 59 points, shooting 47.2% from the field and 46.2% from beyond the arc, hitting 6 of 13 threes. Their effective field goal percentage stood at 52.8%, and they were perfect from the line, going 3 for 3.

Malik Thomas led the way with 29 points, shooting 73.3% overall. Jeff Planutis added 19 points, hitting 3 of 4 from deep, and shooting 80% from the field. The Lakers managed just 3 offensive rebounds and recorded 10 assists in the game.

Lakers Team Defense

Mercyhurst struggled defensively, giving up 87 points while allowing the opposition to shoot 58% from the field. The Lakers had particular trouble inside, where they allowed 70% shooting on two-point attempts (26/37).

From beyond the arc, Mercyhurst gave up 6 threes on 18 attempts, a 33% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the line 31 times, where they hit 17 free throws (54%). The Lakers allowed 13 offensive rebounds.

Leopards vs Lakers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

  • In their last three road games, Lafayette has averaged 67 points per game while allowing 82. The team's record in this stretch was 0-3 while going 2-1.
  • Through their last ten home contests, the Lakers offense has averaged 61 points per game while allowing an average of 77. Mercyhurst posted an overall record of 2-6 while going 5-2 ATS.
  • Looking back on the team's last ten games as the underdog, the Lakers have a straight up record of 3-5. Their record vs the spread in these games was 6-2.
  • In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Leopards have a strong straight up record of 2-1. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.

Lafayette vs Mercyhurst Prediction & Free Pick

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