Conference rivals face off in a men's college basketball showdown as the Sacred Heart Pioneers (6-8, 2-1) host the Merrimack College Warriors (6-8, 3-0) on Friday. These Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference foes split their two-game-season series last year, with the home team winning each time. More recently, the Warriors topped the Fairfield Stags 67-54 to stay undefeated in conference play, while the Pioneers have won back-to-back games heading into Friday.
Tipoff from William H. Pitt Center in Fairfield, Conn., is set for 11 a.m. ET. The Warriors are 2-point favorites in the latest Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 142. Before entering any Merrimack vs. Sacred Heart picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 10 of the 2024-25 season on an 189-130 betting roll (+2985) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines for Merrimack vs. Sacred Heart:
- Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack spread: Merrimack -2
- Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack over/under: 142 points
- Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack money line: Merrimack -139, Sacred Heart +117
- Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack picks: See picks here
Why Merrimack can cover
Don't let that 3-6 road record fool you. Merrimack is 9-5-0 on the season and has covered the spread in six of their last seven games regardless of the outcome, including recent road losses at Stanford and St. Mary's in California. They have also hit the Over in three of their last five.
The Warriors are also entering Friday's game with a spotless 3-0 record against MAAC teams. Merrimack guards Devon Savage and Adam Clark have scored into the double digit in each of those games, and upper classman Savage posted 21 points and five rebounds against Fairfield. The senior put up 18 points against Sacred Heart when these teams first met in 2024. See which team to pick here.
Why Sacred Heart can cover
The Pioneers defeated the Warriors on their home court last season, and enter Friday's tilt with a 4-1 home record on the season. They are also coming off of back-to-back games where they won by more than 15 points, and covered the spread in their recent win against Canisius on Jan. 5.
In that game, senior guard Amiri Stewart posted 13 points, four rebounds and five assists while shooting 55.6%. He currently leads the team with 2.1 steals and 0.8 blocks, and is tied for second with 12.2 points. Junior forward Tanner Thomas is also heating up for the Pioneers, leading the team with 13.6 points and coming off of a 24-point night against Canisius. See which team to pick here.
How to make Merrimack vs. Sacred Heart picks
The model has simulated Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under the total, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack, and which side of the spread hits well over 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on an 189-130 roll on top-rated college basketball picks, and find out.