Mercer vs Samford College Basketball Picks, Odds, Predictions 2/8/21

The Samford Bulldogs and the Mercer Bears meet Monday in college basketball action from Hawkins Arena. 

Samford enters this one at 6-8 this year. The Bulldogs are 1-1 in their last pair and coming off a loss to Chattanooga. As for Mercer, they’re 10-7 this season. The Bears have lost three straight, most recently to East Tennessee State. Check back all season long for free college basketball picks at Sports Chat Place. 

Samford began their season on a 5-3 run with losses to Alabama A&M, Troy and Georgia. After three straight wins, the Bulldogs lost four straight to Wofford, Chattanooga and UNC Greensboro. Since then it’s been a win over Western Carolina and a loss to Chattanooga. 

In the January 20 loss 70-64 to the Mocs, Samford’s Logan Dye put up 13 points with three rebounds and Preston Parks added 12 points with four boards and one assist. AJ Staton-McCray chipped in 11 points, six rebounds and four assists as well. 

Over on the Mercer side, their year began at 7-1 with a lone loss to Georgia State. Since then it’s been a 3-6 run for the Bears with wins over Western Carolina, the Citadel and VMI between losses to Wofford, Furman, Chattanooga, UNCG, Wofford and East Tennessee State. 

In the Wednesday loss 70-64 to ETSU, Mercer’s Neftali Alvarez put up 17 points with four assists and two rebounds, and Leon Ayers also finished in double-figures with 13 points and three rebounds in 27 minutes. James Glisson chipped in six points and five boards as well. 

The Bears are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 Monday games and 0-4 ATS in their last four home games. Mercer is 3-9 ATS in their last 12 overall and the under is 18-6 in their last 24 home games. 

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 road games and 16-33-4 ATS in their last 53 overall. The under is 4-0-1 in Samford’s last five overall and 37-16 in their last 53 road games. 

PICK: I’m going with Samford here. Mercer had an eight-point lead on ETSU at the half in their last game, but notched just 24 second-half points on the way to their third straight loss. That makes three straight games with fewer than 70 points for the Bears. Samford has had a few duds lately themselves but I think their offense is good enough to keep the pace on a cover in this one.