Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Mercer vs South Carolina NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Columbia.
Mercer vs South Carolina Prediction
Looking to win big? The Bears and Gamecocks face off at 7:00 ET on SEC. The Gamecocks are hosting the game at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 152.5 points, and South Carolina is favored by -18 at home against Mercer.
Mercer vs. South Carolina Matchup At A Glance
- Sport: NCAAB
- Teams: Mercer Bears at South Carolina Gamecocks
- Where: Columbia at Colonial Life Arena
- Date: Thursday, November 21st
- Betting Odds SC -18, MERC +1035 | SC -2342 O/U 152.5
Bears Preview: Can the Bears Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?
Mercer Bears Recent Game/Games
On Saturday, November 16th, the Bears fell 75-66 to South Alabama on the road. Mercer entered the game as +5.5 point underdogs and didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 141, falling short of the O/U line of 151.5.
Mercer trailed 42-32 at halftime but managed to tighten things up in the 2nd half, outscoring South Alabama 34-33. Despite the improved defense, the Bears couldn’t close the gap enough to pull off the upset.
Bears Offense Breakdown
Mercer's offense struggled from the field in their last game, shooting just 37.9% overall, but they hit 12 threes at a 37.5% clip. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.3%, and they were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, going 10/11 (90.9%). The Bears managed only 5 offensive rebounds and finished with 14 assists as a team.
Myles Corey and Tyler Johnson led the way, with Corey scoring 28 points on 8/15 shooting, including 4/11 from deep. Johnson added 26 points, hitting 6/11 threes and shooting 56.2% overall. Ahmad Robinson contributed 16 points and 7 assists, while Judah Brown was efficient, shooting 66.7% from the field and adding 15 points.
Bears Team Defense
Mercer’s defense gave up 75 points in this one, with the opposing team shooting 41% from the field on 25 of 60 attempts. They were particularly effective inside, converting 60% of their two-point shots, going 17 for 28.
From beyond the arc, the other team struggled, hitting just 8 of 32 threes for 25%. They also went to the line 25 times, making 17 free throws for 68%. Mercer allowed 12 offensive rebounds.
Gamecocks Preview: Can the Gamecocks Hold Strong at Home?
South Carolina's season continued with an 87-71 road loss to Indiana on Saturday, November 16th. The Gamecocks entered the game as +8.5 point underdogs but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 158, surpassing the pre-game over/under line of 143.5.
South Carolina trailed 43-32 at halftime and couldn't close the gap in the 2nd half, where they scored 39 points but allowed 44.
Gamecocks Offense Breakdown
South Carolina put up 71 points in their latest game, shooting 38.1% from the field and 27.6% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 29 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.4%, and they hit 65.2% of their free throws, going 15 for 23 from the line.
Myles Rice led the Gamecocks with 23 points, shooting 70.0% overall and 75.0% from three-point range (3/4). Morris Ugusuk added 18 points, hitting 4 of 6 from deep, while Mackenzie Mgbako contributed 17 points and 7 rebounds. Nick Pringle also grabbed 11 boards, shooting 80.0% from the field.
Gamecocks Team Defense
South Carolina's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 87 points on 51% shooting from the field. They allowed 52% shooting on two-pointers, with the opposing team hitting 18 of 34 attempts.
From beyond the arc, the Gamecocks gave up 8 threes on 17 attempts, a 47% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 33 times, where they converted 27, an 81% success rate.
Bears vs Gamecocks Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis
- Through their last ten road games, Mercer has an ATS record of just 3-7. However, their overall record was 2-8 while averaging 66 points per game.
- Although South Carolina has a straight up record of 1-2 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 73 points per game in these games.
- Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Bears have gone 0-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 0-3.
- As the betting favorite, the Gamecocks have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 2-1.
Mercer vs South Carolina Prediction & Free Pick
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Prediction: Mercer +18 Be sure to check out our other NCAA Basketball betting previews for this week. KnupSports.com also updates their sports betting picks page daily with plays across all sports.