The East Tennessee State Buccaneers (14-4, 4-1 SoCon) put their six-game winning streak on the line when they go head-to-head with the Mercer Bears (6-10, 1-3 SoCon) at Hawkins Arena. The game can be seen on ESPN 3 at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 12, 2019.
East Tennessee State Buccaneers at Mercer Bears ATS Prediction
In the Buccaneers’ last outing, they dismantled the Citadel Bulldogs, 98-73. East Tennessee State’s offensive rebounding percentage was their biggest advantage over Citadel. The Buccaneers had a rate of 40.6 (above their season average of 39.5), while the Bulldogs posted a mark of 24.5. Jeromy Rodriguez had a good game for East Tennessee State, finishing with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
The Bears defeated the Western Carolina Catamounts in their last outing, 84-80. Mercer’s turnover percentage was their largest strength over Western Carolina. The Bears had a rate of 11.2 (better than their season average of 17.5), while the Catamounts posted a mark of 20.7. Ross Cummings was the game’s top scorer with 36 points on 12-for-19 shooting from the field.
After the Buccaneers won both matchups against the Bears last season, these teams will meet for the first time this year. In the last contest, East Tennessee State won 84-75. East Tennessee State did an excellent job of getting and making free throws (23-28; 82.1 percent). Mercer, meanwhile, had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (29.4 vs. 21.7).
The offense of Mercer will clash against the stingy defense of East Tennessee State. The Bears rank 163rd in offensive efficiency, while the Buccaneers are 18th in defensive efficiency. The Buccaneers should have the edge on that end of the court. Ball protection could be troublesome for the Buccaneers. They rank 305th at avoiding errors (turnover percentage of 21.5 percent), while the Bears force the 48th-most turnovers in the nation (opponents’ turnover percentage of 22.8 percent).
East Tennessee State Buccaneers vs. Mercer Bears ATS Pick
Basketball Pick: SU Winner – East Tennessee State, ATS Winner – East Tennessee State, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Notes:
East Tennessee State ranks eighth in rebounds per game (42.9) while Mercer ranks 197th (34.3).
The Buccaneers rank 38th in assists per game (16.3) while the Bears rank 184th (12.4).
East Tennessee State averages 23.3 three pointers per game, which ranks 119th in the nation. Mercer ranks 247th in three pointers allowed per game (27.4).
The Bears rank 63rd in steals per game (7.4) while the Buccaneers rank 135th in steals allowed per game (7.1).
East Tennessee State averages 3.8 blocks per game, which ranks 74th in the country. Mercer ranks 118th in blocks allowed per game (3.9).
Bettings Trends:
The Buccaneers’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 22.2, up from 15.6 for the season.
During their last five games, the Bears have scored an average of 72.0 points per game (1.9 below their season average) and allowed an average of 74.6 points per game (5.0 above their season average).
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