Mercer Bears vs Western Carolina Catamounts Matchup

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

Mercer vs Western Carolina Prediction

Looking to win big? The Bears and Catamounts face off at 3:30 ET on ESPN+. The Catamounts are hosting the game at Ramsey Center in Cullowhee, NC. Mercer is favored by -5.5 in this Southern conference contest against Western Carolina. The game's over/under currently sits at 151.5 points.

Mercer vs. Western Carolina Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Mercer Bears at Western Carolina Catamounts
Where: Cullowhee at Ramsey Center
Date: Sunday, January 12th
Betting Odds MERC -5.5, MERC -227 | WCAR +184 O/U 151.5

Bears Preview: Will the Bears Come Through as Road Favorites?

Mercer Bears Recent Game/Games

Mercer fell to 7-8 on the season after a 70-68 home loss to East Tennessee State on Wednesday. The Bears were +2.5 point underdogs going into the game and managed to cover the spread, but they couldn’t pull off the win.

After trailing 40-32 at halftime, Mercer tightened up defensively in the second half, holding ETSU to 30 points while scoring 36 themselves. The total points for the game were 138, falling short of the 151.5 O/U line.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Quimari Peterson led the Bears with 25 points and 5 assists, shooting 56.2% from the field and hitting 3 of 7 from deep. Jaden Seymour and Alex Holt both shot 60% from the floor, with Seymour adding 19 points and 9 rebounds, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.

Mercer hit 7 threes at a 38.9% clip, finishing with an overall field goal percentage of 43.4% and an effective field goal percentage of 49.1%. They struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 57.7% of their attempts, and grabbed 10 offensive rebounds, with 13 assists as a team.

Bears Team Defense

Mercer’s defense gave up 70 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 43% from the field on 23 of 53 attempts. From inside the arc, they allowed 16 two-point field goals on 35 attempts, a 45% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Mercer’s opponents shot 38%, hitting 7 of 18 attempts. The Bears also sent the other team to the free-throw line 26 times, where they converted 15 shots for 57%. Mercer allowed 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Catamounts Preview: Can the Catamounts Offense Score Enough at Home?

Western Carolina dropped to 1-11 on the season after a 77-69 road loss to Wofford on Wednesday. The Catamounts were +12.5 point underdogs going into the game, and while they didn’t get the win, they did manage to cover the spread.

After trailing 48-37 at halftime, Western Carolina tightened up defensively in the second half, outscoring Wofford 32-29. The total points for the game ended at 146, just over the pre-game O/U line of 144.5.

Catamounts Offense Breakdown

Western Carolina's offense struggled from the field in their last game, shooting just 35.9% overall. They hit only 25.6% of their 39 three-point attempts, resulting in an effective field goal percentage of 43.8%. Despite their shooting woes, they connected on 86.7% of their free throws, going 13-for-15 from the line.

Bernard Pelote led the Catamounts with 27 points, shooting 52.4% from the field and 30% from deep. Kyler Filewich was a force inside, hitting 66.7% of his shots and grabbing 18 rebounds, while also dishing out 6 assists.

Catamounts Team Defense

Western Carolina's defense gave up 77 points, allowing their opponent to shoot 44% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 18 two-point baskets on 37 attempts, a 48% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Western Carolina's defense conceded 10 threes on 26 attempts, with their opponent shooting 38%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 18 times, where they made 11, shooting 61%.

Bears vs Catamounts Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Bears have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 73 points per game in this stretch.
Across their ten previous home games, Western Carolina has an ATS mark of 5-5. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-8 while averaging 63 points per game.
Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Catamounts have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 0-3.
Across their last three matchups as the betting favorite, the Bears have an overall record of 3-0 while going 1-2 against the spread.