The Chattanooga Mocs go for a second straight Southern Conference tournament championship when they face the Furman Paladins for the title on Monday night. Chattanooga is on a three-game winning streak, including upsets of Samford and Wofford, to reach the title game after finishing in seventh place in the regular-season conference standings.
Furman is on a five-game winning streak, including an overtime victory over Western Carolina in the tournament semifinals on Sunday, and tied with Samford for the top regular-season record in the Southern Conference.
Let’s take a closer look at this rematch of last year’s conference tournament title game and determine the best Chattanooga Mocs vs Furman Paladins picks to make.
Chattanooga Mocs vs. Furman Paladins Odds
The college basketball point spread set for the championship game favors the top-seeded Paladins by four points. You’ll get -110 odds on either side of this bet.
If you’d prefer to wager on the moneyline, you can get Furman at -195, while Chattanooga is listed at +165. The over/under is set at 152½ points, with -110 odds set for either side of the wager.
Chattanooga Mocs vs. Furman Paladins Information
Chattanooga Mocs vs Furman Paladins
Location of the Game: Harrah’s Cherokee Center, Asheville, NC.
Date and Time: Monday, March 6, 2023, 7:00 PM ET.
How to Watch: ESPN | ESPN+
Chattanooga Mocs vs. Furman Paladins Analysis
Chattanooga Mocs Performance Recap and Analysis
Mocs are peaking at just the right time after an up-and-down regular season. The seventh-seeded Mocs were just 7-11 in conference play in the regular season but are working on beating the March Madness betting odds by making the NCAA Tournament a second straight season with just one more upset.
Senior center Jake Stephens has been leading the team through much of the season, and he’s been heating up in the tournament. The 7-footer is coming off 25 points, seven rebounds, two blocks, and four steals in Sunday’s win over Wofford and is averaging 22.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.6 steals in the team’s three tournament wins.
Senior guard Jamal Johnson has also come up big, including 25 points in the quarterfinal upset of No. 2 seed Samford. Johnson had 12 points and eight rebounds in Sunday’s semifinal victory and is averaging 13.8 points and 4.3 rebounds on the season.
Key Injuries
There are no injuries to the Mocs that should affect your Chattanooga Mocs vs Furman Paladins picks.
Betting Trends to Know
- Chattanooga is 4-0 against the spread in its last four neutral-site games.
- The Mocs are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games following a straight-up win.
- The under is 14-3 in Chattanooga’s last 17 against a team with a winning record.
Furman Paladins Performance Recap and Analysis
The top-seeded Paladins had to go to overtime to escape the semifinal round against Western Carolina, but they’re back to take a second shot at beating the Mocs for the conference tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth. Last season’s matchup in the championship game was a classic, going to overtime before Chattanooga won the title on a last-second 3-pointer.
Senior guard Mike Bothwell is averaging 18.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists on the season, and he’s been lighting it up of late. Bothwell had 35 points against Samford in the regular-season finale on February 25, then had 26 points, three rebounds, and four assists in Sunday’s semifinal win over Western Carolina.
Senior forward Jalen Slawson is a presence in the paint for the Paladins. Slawson is averaging 15.6 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds, shooting 55.1% from the floor, and he had a near-double-double on Sunday, finishing with 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out of the contest.
Key Injuries
Paladins are, fortunately, free of any injuries that might limit their chance at a conference tournament title.
Furman PaladinBetting Trends to Know
- Furman is 9-3 against the spread in its last 12 games following a straight-up win.
- The Paladins are 8-1 against the spread in their last nine games, facing a team with a winning record.
- The under is 5-0 in Furman’s last five games against a team with a winning record.
Chattanooga Mocs vs. Furman Paladins Betting Picks
Moneyline: When you’re making your Chattanooga Mocs vs Furman Paladins picks, this might be the way to go, considering how wild a championship game can be.
The Paladins swept the regular-season series, winning both matchups, but the Mocs are hot right now, and the pressure of a championship game can make teams play tighter. Still, we like Furman to come out on top in this one, gaining some revenge for last season’s loss in the title game.
Spread: Despite the two matchups in the regular season being decided by eight and 21 points, the NCAAB odds today have this one slated as a much closer contest. The Mocs should fight hard, but take the favored Paladins to cover the spread in this game.
Over/Under Total: The Paladins can score in bunches, and the Mocs are on a roll right now. Because of those factors, we like the over to hit in this one.
Chattanooga Mocs vs. Furman Paladins Score Predictions
- Southern Conference Pick: Furman Paladins 82, Chattanooga Mocs 74
If you love sports and want more sports betting information follow us as @InsidersBetDig on Twitter and sign up to our mailing list for free betting picks.
