Mercer vs Chattanooga 12/31/22 College Basketball Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Chattanooga Mocs and Mercer Bears meet Saturday in college basketball action at the Hawkins Arena. The Chattanooga Mocs look for their ninth win. The Mercer Bears look to get above a .500 record.

The Chattanooga Mocs are averaging 79.6 points on 46.1 percent shooting and allowing 69.2 points on 41.2 percent shooting. Jake Stephens is averaging 21.4 points and 10.4 rebounds, while Jamal Johnson is averaging 12.9 points and 1.1 assists. Demetrius Davis is dishing 1.6 assists and Dalvin White is grabbing 2.8 rebounds. The Chattanooga Mocs are shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc and 71.2 percent from the free throw line. The Chattanooga Mocs are allowing 34 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 36 rebounds per game.

The Mercer Bears are averaging 76.6 points on 50.1 percent shooting and allowing 69.5 points on 42.7 percent shooting. Jalyn McCreary is averaging 15.7 points and 5.3 rebounds, while Kamar Robinson is averaging 13.7 points and 2.1 assists. Luis Hurtado Jr. III is the third double-digit scorer and Shawn Walker Jr. is dishing 2.6 assists. The Mercer Bears are shooting 39.3 percent from beyond the arc and 71.3 percent from the free throw line. The Mercer Bears are allowing 33.8 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 31.3 rebounds per game.

The Mocs are 24-9-1 ATS in their last 34 games following a ATS loss. The Bears are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss. The over is 5-2 in Mocs last 7 overall. The under is 6-2 in Bears last 8 overall. The underdog is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.

The Chattanooga Mocs are probably the better team on paper, and they’ve heed their own on the road this season. However, the Mercer Bears are playing their best ball right now, and they’re at home, where they win by an average of 25 points and shoot 56.8 percent from the field. The public is also pounding Chattanooga early. I’ll take my chances with Mercer at home.