Teams looking to turn around their recent fortunes meet when the West Georgia Wolves take on the Mercer Bears in a late morning non-conference matchup on Wednesday. West Georgia is coming off an 86-65 loss at Samford on Friday, while Mercer dropped a 75-72 decision to Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 26. The Wolves (0-9), who are joining the Atlantic Sun this season, their first at the Division I level, were 19-5 in the Division II Gulf South Conference and 27-6 overall in 2023-24. The Bears (3-4), who tied for seventh at 8-10 in the Southern Conference and were 16-17 overall a year ago, are 2-0 on their home floor this season.
Tipoff from Hawkins Arena in Macon, Ga., is set for 11 a.m. ET. This will be the first meeting between the teams. The Bears are 10.5-point favorites in the latest West Georgia vs. Mercer odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 146.5. Before making any Mercer vs. West Georgia picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 5 of the 2024-25 season on a 170-123 betting roll (+2061) 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 West Georgia vs. Mercer. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for West Georgia vs. Mercer:
- West Georgia vs. Mercer spread: Mercer -10.5
- West Georgia vs. Mercer over/under: 146.5 points
- West Georgia vs. Mercer money line: Mercer -671, West Georgia +470
- WGA: The Wolves have hit the Under in four of their last five road games (+2.90 units)
- MER: The Bears have won 13 of their last 29 games (+8.05 units on ML)
- West Georgia vs. Mercer picks: See picks at SportsLine
- West Georgia vs. Mercer streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why you should back Mercer
Senior guard Tyler Johnson is one of four Bears who average double-digit scoring. In seven games, he is averaging 15.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 assists in 28.4 minutes. He is hitting on 51.3% of his shots from the floor, including a blistering 44.2% from 3-point range, and 78.6% from the free throw line. In a 75-66 loss to South Alabama, he poured in a season-high 26 points with two rebounds and one steal.
Also helping power Mercer is senior guard Ahmad Robinson. He is coming off a 19-point, six-assist, five-rebound and three-steal performance in a 75-72 loss to Miami (OH) at the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Nov. 26. He scored a season-high 25 points with four assists in a 90-89 overtime win over Jacksonville in the first game of the tournament. For the season, he is averaging 15 points, 5.4 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 steals in 28.6 minutes. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back West Georgia
Junior forward Shelton Williams-Dryden leads the Wolves' offensive attack. In nine games, he is averaging 17.2 points, eight rebounds and 1.3 steals in 29.4 minutes of action. He is connecting on 59.5% of his field goals. He has registered two double-doubles, including a 21-point and 13-rebound performance in the loss at Samford. He had 20 points and 10 rebounds in a 76-73 loss at Tennessee Tech on Nov. 12.
Senior forward Kolten Griffin is averaging 11 points, four rebounds, 2.2 assists and one steal in 31.7 minutes. He has reached double-digit scoring in six of nine games. In the loss to Tennessee Tech, he scored a season-high 17 points, while adding four rebounds and two assists. He had a near double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds in a 74-55 loss at South Florida on Nov. 15. See which team to pick here.
How to make West Georgia vs. Mercer picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 141 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins West Georgia vs. Mercer, and which side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $2,060 on its college basketball picks dating back to 2023, and find out.