Chicago State Cougars vs Mercer Bears Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Chicago State vs Mercer NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Macon.

Chicago State vs Mercer Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Cougars versus the Bears? Tip off is at at 2:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on NEC. The game will be played at Hawkins Arena in Macon, GA. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Mercer as the -15.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 149.5 points.

Chicago State vs. Mercer Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Chicago State Cougars at Mercer Bears
Where: Macon at Hawkins Arena
Date: Sunday, December 15th
Betting Odds MERC -15.5, CHIST +766 | MERC -1350 O/U 149.5

Cougars Preview: Will the Cougars Find a Way to Win in Macon?

Chicago State Cougars Recent Game/Games

Chicago State dropped to 0-11 on the season after an 85-62 road loss to Saint Louis on Sunday. The Cougars, who were +25 point underdogs, managed to cover the spread.

Trailing 41-33 at halftime, Chicago State scored 29 points in the 2nd half while allowing 44. The game’s total points of 147 fell short of the 154.5 O/U line.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

In their last game, Chicago State managed just 62 points, shooting 35.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 41.9%. They hit 8 of 24 from three-point range, shooting 33.3%, and went 10 for 15 from the free-throw line, hitting 66.7% of their attempts.

Robbie Avila led the Cougars with 19 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field. Gibson Jimerson and Noble Crawford each added 18 points, with Crawford hitting 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Kalu Anya was efficient, shooting 6 of 7 from the field and grabbing 9 rebounds.

Cougars Team Defense

Chicago State's defense struggled, giving up 85 points on 48% shooting. They allowed 29 field goals on 60 attempts.

From beyond the arc, the Cougars gave up 12 threes on 29 attempts, a 41% clip. They also sent the opposing team to the line 20 times, where they converted 15 free throws.

Bears Preview: Are Mercer Ready for a Home Win?

Mercer Bears Recent Game/Games

Mercer improved to 3-4 on the season with an 89-83 road win over Stetson on Sunday. The Bears were favored by 3.5 points and covered the spread.

Leading 40-38 at halftime, Mercer scored 33 points in the 2nd half while allowing 35. The game’s total points of 172 went over the pre-game O/U line of 153.5.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Mercer's offense put up 89 points in their last game, shooting 44.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.7%. They connected on 11 of 28 three-point attempts, hitting at a 39.3% clip, while shooting 48.7% on two-pointers. At the free-throw line, the Bears made 18 of 27 attempts, good for 66.7%.

Tyler Johnson led the way with 26 points, hitting 6 of 10 from beyond the arc and shooting 61.5% overall. Alex Holt was efficient inside, making 10 of 12 shots for 23 points, while Jordan Wood also added 23 points, hitting 5 threes. Ahmad Robinson contributed 16 points and 10 assists, despite shooting just 4 of 19 from the field.

Bears Team Defense

Mercer’s defense gave up 83 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 42% from the field. They allowed 47% shooting on two-point attempts, as the other team went 16/34 inside the arc.

From three-point range, Mercer’s defense saw their opponents hit 11/29, good for 37%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 21 times, where they converted 18, an 85% rate. Mercer gave up 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Cougars vs Bears Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Chicago State has a straight up record of 1-9 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 5-5. The team averaged 62 points per game in these games.
Through their last five home games, Mercer has an ATS record of just 2-3. However, their overall record was 1-4 while averaging 69 points per game.
Through their last three games as the betting underdog, the Cougars have a strong record vs the spread going 2-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 0-3.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Bears have a strong straight up record of 4-1. In addition, their ATS record was 4-1 in these scenarios.