Here is a look at the upcoming Mercer Bears vs East Carolina Pirates College Basketball game that will be played on Tuesday, November 8th. Continue reading below to get our best Mercer vs East Carolina odds and much more.
An early season matchup between the two of the best mid-major conferences in the country, the SoCon and the AAC.
Matchup General Information
The game is scheduled for a 7:00 PM EST tip-off from Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum in Greenville, SC. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN Plus.
Both NCAAB teams will be looking to take a step forward after 2021-22 seasons that saw their respective programs finish around the .500 mark and did not play in any kind of postseason following their conference tournaments.
Let’s take a look at Mercer vs East Carolina odds ahead of Tuesday’s college basketball matchups!
Last Game Records
- Mercer 2021-22 Record: 16-17
- East Carolina 2021-22 record: 15-15
Mercer vs. East Carolina Betting Analysis
Over the last four seasons, the Pirates have been one of the worst teams in the American Athletic Conference against the number. East Carolina was just 50-59 ATS under Dooley but slightly better as the home team at 31-31.
NCAAB Stats
As a home favorite, the Pirates were one of the best teams in the AAC, covering the number 58.6% of the time with an average margin of victory of +8.7 points per game, according to NCAA basketball stats.
The Mercer Bears have been the third-best team in the Southern Conference under Greg Gary since he took over the program.
Gary’s Program
Gary’s program is 45-42 against the number in three seasons in Greenville though it is very tight. Mercer has an average margin of victory of just 2.0 points per game and is outperforming the number by a razor-thin +0.6 points per contest.
As a true road team, Mercer is 23-18 in the college basketball standings under Coach Gary and is beating the number by an average of +1.5 points per game.
Finally, as a road underdog, they are even better, logging an 18-12 and beating the spread by an average of +2.8 points per game.
Mercer Bears
Mercer Bears basketball saw their program improve in Mike Swartz’s second season in 2020-21, going 18-11 with a run to the SoCon Tournament Championship game. The Bears took a step back last season, going just 16-17 on the season.
Mercer’s Struggle
Mercer struggled once the calendar turned to February, going just 2-6 down the stretch to finish the regular season.
After dispatching a weak Western Carolina team, they were defeated by a very good Furman team which ended their season.
The Bears lost their two best players last season as Jalen Johnson and Felipe Haase both exhausted their eligibility.
They do have some solid players returning in James Glisson III (10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds) and Kamar Robertson (10 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists), who will likely be the biggest sources of production this season for the program.
Jalyn McCreary
Forward Jalyn McCreary joins the program after transferring in from South Florida, where he averaged roughly five points and three rebounds in 14 minutes per game.
Former Fordham star Jalen Cobb also joins the team after missing the 2021-22 season due to injury. Cobb leads the Rams in assists and steals while averaging over 10 points per game.
East Carolina Pirates
The Pirates of East Carolina suffered a similar fate though their decline started a couple of weeks earlier. Joe Dooley went just 6-11 after the new year and was eliminated from the American Athletic Conference Tournament on the first day by Cincinnati. Coach Dooley was fired the following day.
Coach Schwartz
Now, the Pirates are in the seemingly capable hands of Mike Schwartz. Coach Schwartz was a long-time assistant coach under Rick Barnes at Tennessee and widely considered one of the best up-and-coming coaches in the nation.
The East Carolina Pirates’ schedule will now be faced with the new coach. Following Schwartz from Knoxville is guard Quentin Diboundje.
The 6’5 wing played sparingly in his lone season under Coach Barnes and is hoping to have found a home in Greenville.
Former Power Six Players
Two other former power six players are also dawning the purple and gold this season as former Boston College star Wynston Tabbs will get a crack at realizing his potential after being robbed by injuries in recent seasons.
Former Iowa State guard Jalen Walker will also look to be a key contributor after joining ECU in the offseason.
NCAAB Injury Report
It is unclear if Wynston Tabbs will be available for this game. The guard, who hasn’t played in nearly three years, has been cleared for full practice but is to be considered a game-time decision. Regardless, we will see him eventually in the NCAAB schedule.
For Mercer, keep an eye on freshman guard Mike Zanoni who scored 17 points in the Bears’ exhibition game against Lagrange College. These are the college basketball injuries impacting this matchup.
Mercer vs. East Carolina Betting Preview
The Bears open the season as a 1.5 points road favorite. Mercer is paying out at -125 on the moneyline, while East Carolina pays out at +105 to win the game straight up. The total is currently set at 136.5 points.
Mercer vs. East Carolina Betting Prediction
East Carolina has the edge as far as talent goes, but breaking in a new roster with a new coach is concerning.
If ECU was sure to deploy Tabbs, then the Pirates would be the pick, but the fact that he is apparently still not healthy is concerning.
Mercer has been good on the road under Coach Gary but is just 5-6 against the spread as a road favorite during his time at the helm.
That said, let’s go with the Bears to cover the 1.5 on the road to kick off the season.
NCAAB Pick: Mercer -1 (-110)
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.