The Merrimack Warriors and Fairfield Stags will square off in a MAAC battle on Friday. Merrimack (5-8) just joined the conference this season, after previously being in the NEC, and it has won its first two MAAC games. Meanwhile, Fairfield (5-8) has split its two conference games but dropped its final four games of 2024. These programs last met in 1977, and Fairfield has won all four of the previous matchups. Merrimack is 7-5-1 against the spread in the 2024-25 college basketball season, while Fairfield is 5-7 versus the line.
Tipoff is at 3 p.m. ET from Hammel Court in North Andover, Mass. The Warriors are 8.5 point favorites in the latest Fairfield vs. Merrimack odds, per SportsLine consensus. Merrimack is -139 on the money line (risk $139 to win $100). The over/under for total points is 139.5. Before entering any Merrimack vs. Fairfield picks, you'll want to see the NCAA Basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 9 of the 2024-25 season on a 183-130 betting roll (+2520) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Fairfield vs. Merrimack. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines for Merrimack vs. Fairfield:
- Merrimack vs. Fairfield spread: Merrimack -8.5
- Merrimack vs. Fairfield over/under: 139.5 points
- Merrimack vs. Fairfield money line: Merrimack: -395, Fairfield: +309
- Merrimack vs. Fairfield picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Merrimack vs. Fairfield streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why Merrimack can cover
Merrimack is coming off a lengthy break, last playing on Dec. 19 when it fell, 73-68, to Saint Mary's in what was its last non-conference game of the season. Despite the defeat, the Warriors had balanced scoring with five players in double-figures, which was a promising sign for the team, as just one player averages in double-figures for the season. Leading the way was Sean Trumper with 13 points, while Merrimack shot a season-high 57.1% from beyond the arc.
The team's leading scorer, Adam Clark, also leads the entire MAAC in scoring with 20.1 points per game. The 5-foot-10 guard also tops Merrimack with 5.2 assists and 1.8 steals, after leading the NEC in the latter with 2.5 steals a year ago. The Warriors have also performed admirably versus the spread as of late as after opening the year just 2-5 ATS, they have since covered in five of their last six games. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why Fairfield can cover
The Stags fell to Columbia, 85-72, on Saturday, dropping their fourth in a row. However, the Stags found their outside stroke as they knocked down a season-high of 13 3-pointers, nearly double the 6.8 they were averaging entering the game. Three players led Fairfield in scoring as Louis Bleechmore, Jamie Bergens and Deon Perry each had a dozen points.
The Stags cherish the ball like few others as they rank 18th, nationally, in fewest turnovers per game. They also crash the glass, ranking among the top 10% in the nation in offensive rebounds per game. When you combine protecting the ball, and pulling down offensive boards, Fairfield generates more possessions than most other teams. That should allow it to exploit a Merrimack defense that ranks outside the top 100 in college basketball in opposing 3-point percentage and opposing shooting efficiency. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Merrimack vs. Fairfield picks
The model has simulated Fairfield vs. Merrimack 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, projecting 138 combined points, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Merrimack vs. Fairfield, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Fairfield vs. Merrimack spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 183-130 roll on top-rated college basketball picks, and find out.
