Who's Playing

Western Carolina @ Mercer

Current Records: Western Carolina 15-13; Mercer 12-16

What to Know

Get ready for a Southern battle as the Western Carolina Catamounts and the Mercer Bears will face off at 2 p.m. ET Saturday at Hawkins Arena. Western Carolina will be strutting in after a win while Mercer will be stumbling in from a defeat.

It was a close one, but on Wednesday the Catamounts sidestepped the E. Tennessee State Buccaneers for a 68-66 victory.

Mercer lost a heartbreaker to the Wofford Terriers when they met in January, and they left with a heavy heart again on Wednesday. Mercer fell just short of Wofford by a score of 70-67.

Western Carolina is expected to lose this next one by 5.5. The odds have been favorable for them against the spread on the road this season, even if it's been tough sledding overall. They are 8-4-1 ATS in away games but only 12-11-2 all in all.

The Catamounts took their game against the Bears in the teams' previous meeting last month by a conclusive 73-45 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for Western Carolina since the team won't have home-court advantage. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.

How To Watch

  • When: Saturday at 2 p.m. ET
  • Where: Hawkins Arena -- Macon, Georgia
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Ticket Cost: $21.00

Odds

The Bears are a solid 5.5-point favorite against the Catamounts, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The line has drifted a bit towards the Bears, as the game opened with the Bears as a 4-point favorite.

Over/Under: -110

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Series History

Mercer have won nine out of their last 17 games against Western Carolina.

  • Jan 07, 2023 - Western Carolina 73 vs. Mercer 45
  • Mar 04, 2022 - Mercer 81 vs. Western Carolina 53
  • Feb 19, 2022 - Western Carolina 69 vs. Mercer 65
  • Jan 22, 2022 - Mercer 72 vs. Western Carolina 64
  • Feb 27, 2021 - Western Carolina 85 vs. Mercer 61
  • Jan 16, 2021 - Mercer 78 vs. Western Carolina 76
  • Mar 07, 2020 - Western Carolina 70 vs. Mercer 56
  • Jan 22, 2020 - Mercer 85 vs. Western Carolina 79
  • Jan 11, 2020 - Western Carolina 79 vs. Mercer 71
  • Feb 14, 2019 - Mercer 74 vs. Western Carolina 65
  • Jan 10, 2019 - Mercer 84 vs. Western Carolina 80
  • Feb 20, 2018 - Mercer 81 vs. Western Carolina 64
  • Jan 10, 2018 - Western Carolina 58 vs. Mercer 56
  • Jan 30, 2017 - Mercer 62 vs. Western Carolina 47
  • Jan 21, 2017 - Mercer 70 vs. Western Carolina 50
  • Feb 18, 2016 - Western Carolina 72 vs. Mercer 65
  • Jan 24, 2016 - Western Carolina 86 vs. Mercer 80