Mercer Bears vs Virginia Tech Hokies Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1

Virginia Tech's pressure guard had 7 steals in the opener, but Mercer scored 90 with a bench guard dropping 21 in 17 minutes. A 21.5-point spread leaves no room for a flat half.

The Matchup

Mercer visits Virginia Tech on Thursday night at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, with Virginia Tech a 21.5-point favorite, a total of 152.5, on ACCNX. Virginia Tech finished 19-13 last season, scoring 75.1 points a game and allowing 75.4. Mercer finished 19-13 as well, scoring 82.5 and allowing 76.9. Those are last season's numbers, and both rosters look different now.

Virginia Tech's opener was the most complete performance in this game. The Hokies beat Coppin State 88-54, assisting on 20 baskets and scoring 26 points off turnovers. Ben Hammond ran it with 20 points, 8 assists and 7 steals, Jaylen Curry added 19, and Amani Hansberry scored 16 with 9 rebounds. That is a real Division I result, even against a Coppin State team that turned it over 24 times.

Mercer's opener came against Reinhardt, a non-Division I opponent, so the 90-53 score deserves a discount. What survives it is scoring depth: Shane Cherry scored 21 points in 17 minutes off the bench, Derek Goodman added 18, KJ Lamonte scored 14 with 8 of them at the free-throw line, and Brady Shoulders grabbed 13 rebounds. Mercer does not need one player to have a career night to put points up.

Key Factors

Mercer's problem is ball security, and Virginia Tech is built to punish exactly that. The Bears committed 15 turnovers and handed out only 10 assists against Reinhardt, and their starting guards combined for almost no creation. Hammond just picked up 7 steals in a game, and if Mercer is that loose in Blacksburg, the Hokies will score in transition and the margin can grow in a hurry. Curry's 6 turnovers in the same game are the Hokies' own warning sign, though.

The other Mercer asset is the glass. The Bears grabbed 48 rebounds in the opener, with Shoulders taking 13 by himself, and extra possessions are the currency an underdog this big lives on. Virginia Tech outrebounded Coppin State by a wide margin too, so this is a fight Mercer has to at least draw.

The counterpoint is class and depth. Virginia Tech shot 50 percent from the field and 46 percent from three against a Division I opponent, and its pressure turned a game into a rout by halftime. If Hammond and Curry control the tempo the same way, Mercer will be chasing all night. The bet is that Mercer's scoring depth and rebounding keep the Bears answering often enough that 21.5 stays a point or two too many.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.