The Mercyhurst Lakers play the LIU Sharks in the NEC Tournament Championship Game. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
LIU is favored by 5.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -245. The total is set at 135 points.
Here are my Mercyhurst vs. LIU predictions and college basketball picks for March 10, 2026.
Mercyhurst vs. LIU Predictions & Picks
My Pick: Under 137.5 (Play to 136)
My Mercyhurst vs. LIU best bet is on the under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Mercyhurst vs. LIU Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 135 -110o / -110u | +200 |
| Long Island Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 135 -110o / -110u | -245 |
- Mercyhurst vs. LIU spread: LIU -5.5
- Mercyhurst vs. LIU over/under: 135 points
- Mercyhurst vs. LIU moneyline: Mercyhurst +200, LIU -245
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Mercyhurst vs. LIU Picks for Today's NEC Championship Game
Mercyhurst Preview
Mercyhurst has had an incredibly successful season in the NEC after moving up from the Division II ranks at the start of last year.
While still ineligible for the NCAA Tournament, this program can take a big step in claiming the NEC Tournament title.
Gary Manchel has to be impressed with the improvement defensively during this tournament run, and with a nucleus made up of underclassmen, the trajectory of this program is bright.
The NEC is a league filled with predominantly slower-paced, defensive-focused teams, and Mercyhurst fits the bill there. The Lakers play at one of the slowest tempos in the country, and they work methodically to get quality shots.
Bernie Blunt III leads the Lakers in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game. Jake Lemelman averages 14, and Qadir Martin scores 11 per contest while leading the team in rebounding with 6.8 boards a night.
Deshaun Jackson Jr. is unselfish at the point and is a good facilitator of the ball while playing in an offense that's not lead-guard reliant.
Mercyhurst has been a decent defensive team, per NEC standards, and the trend line continues to rise after the last two performances in tournament play.
The Lakers held Fairleigh Dickinson and Stonehill to a combined 112 points in their two tourney games, and this bunch has already shown they can play with LIU this season, notching two competitive games while going 1-1.
The Lakers guard the 3-point arc well, and the defense has played with a ton of energy. Mercyhurst can force some turnovers, and while it isn't overly physical in the painted area, it does block and alter a fair number of shots.
I'll be interested to see how the Lakers match up with the size of LIU in the post.
LIU Preview
LIU has been the best team in this league for a good majority of the season, and head coach Rod Strickland and the Sharks have already punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament by way of Mercyhurst’s transitional status and concomitant ineligibility.
LIU would love to hang a conference tournament championship banner on its home floor on Tuesday before a likely trip to Dayton for the First Four on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.
This offense runs through Jamal Fuller, and he's a force at this level of basketball. Fuller averages 16.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest for the Sharks.
Malachi Davis scores 14 points per contest and leads the team with 112 assists.
Greg Gordon and Jomo Goings both average double figures in scoring. Goings is versatile and will run point, play the 2 and can also play back to the basket at the 3 spot, depending on the matchup.
There's no better defense in the NEC than what the Sharks roll out there on that end of the floor. LIU leads the NEC in efficiency, 3-point defense and blocked shots. While not exceedingly aggressive, the Sharks force a high number of turnovers.
Mercyhurst is going to have to work for everything on this end and has to bury some contested shots to stay in this game.
This is something Wagner couldn't do and Chicago State did well, so I'll be fascinated with this matchup.
How To Bet My Mercyhurst vs. LIU NCAAB Pick
This line opened with LIU pegged as a 5.5-point favorite with a total at 137.5. I'm going to take the under here.
This game is going to be played at a slow pace. Each of the first two contests for both teams was played at 66 possessions or less, with both defenses having strong showings in the tournament thus far.
Long Island has the best 3-point defense in the conference, and while Mercyhurst doesn’t want to shoot a ton of triples, I don't foresee easy looks inside.
Long Island has a strong interior defense, and the Sharks do well to pack the paint, making it tough for opponents to find a lot of room in the lane.
Many Mercyhurst possessions should end deep into the shot clock, and the Lakers could struggle to consistently find good looks. Instead, they'll have to settle for lower-percentage jumpers.
The Sharks have been a decent offensive team this season, but turnovers have been a glaring issue. Long Island is the worst team in the conference when it comes to committing turnovers, something it does on 19% of offensive possessions.
In a lower-possession game, when the turnovers start piling up, it can result in long stretches with minimal scoring, which I expect here.
We saw this play out similarly against Wagner on Saturday. Mercyhurst does a great job defensively in forcing turnovers, but the Lakers don't run out on the fast break with success and end up setting up in the half court off of steals.
Neither one of these teams gets to the line with regularity, and I don't have concerns about this game turning into a foul fest. We should see a below average number of foul shots by both teams.
The Sharks should dictate the pace with its defense. LIU is 14-6 to the under in conference games this season, and I expect the defense to show up here at home.
Mercyhurst is going to also max out defensively as its season is over, and while it can't go dancing, this conference championship game is going to be important to the Lakers.
I expect a slower start in the first 10 minutes and for this game to trend hard to the under throughout.
My Pick: Under 137.5 (Play to 136)
