Fairleigh Dickinson vs Merrimack Odds & Picks for Northeast Conference Title Game
- The Warriors are laying 3.5 points in the Fairleigh Dickinson vs Merrimack odds in Tuesday’s NEC Championship Game
- Merrimack is ineligible for the NCAA Tournament, meaning FDU has already wrapped up a March Madness automatic berth
- Don’t miss the latest Fairleigh Dickinson vs Merrimack odds and predictions, below
Merrimack deserves to be the Northeast Conference’s representative at the NCAA Tournament. They’re the best team in the conference and enter the title game in tremendous form. However, they’re ineligible for March Madness for one more year as they transition from the DII ranks.
That’s great news for Fairleigh Dickinson, who became the first team to automatically qualify for the March Madness bracket just by reaching Tuesday’s NEC final.
The bad news though, is that now the NEC Championship Game has lost most of its lustre. The Warriors can still put a bow on an incredible season, but FDU has nothing left to play for.
Online sportsbooks expect Merrimack’s tremendous run to continue, as they opened them up as the chalk in Tuesday’s college basketball odds.
Fairleigh Dickinson vs Merrimack Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDU Knights | +3.5 (-110) | OFF | O 138.5 (-110) |
| Merrimack Warriors | -3.5 (-110) | OFF | U 138.5 (-110) |
Merrimack is currently favored by 3.5 points in a contest with a total of 138.5. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm ET inside the Warriors Hammel Court in North Andover, MA, with ESPN2 providing the broadcast coverage.
Odds as of Mar 6 at DraftKings Massachusetts. See the best Massachusetts sports-betting apps.
Fairleigh Dickinson vs Merrimack Betting Trends
This was the matchup everyone expected prior to the start of the NEC Tournament. Merrimack and FDU were the top-two seeds, and had by far the shortest odds to win the whole thing. They’ve each made short work of their first two opponents, setting up this matchup.
The Warriors breezed past eight-seed LIU by 15 in the quarters, before downing Sacred Heart by 11 in the semis. They’re averaging 81 points through two games and are fresh off holding the Pioneers to 60 points and a 35% field goal percentage.
Merrimack earned the conference’s highest defensive rating ever per KenPom’s metrics during the regular season, and have held six of their past seven opponents to 60 points or less. They enter play on a 10-game winning streak, with their only loss in the last 13 games coming at the hands of the Knights.
FDU actually took down Merrimack in both of their matchups during the regular season, beating them 78-71 at home and 71-63 on the road. The Knights opened the NEC Tournament with an eight point win over St. Francis Brooklyn in the quarters, before blowing out St. Francis PA by 20 in the semis.
🙌 | @PIX11News pic.twitter.com/IlqlNIS3dS
— FDU Men's Basketball (@FDUKnightsMBB) March 6, 2023
FDU’s form coming into this tournament was far less impressive than the Warriors. They dropped three of their final five games down the stretch, but boast an offense that can certainly bail them out of trouble.
The Knights averaged 78 points per game, 17 more than Merrimack during the regular season. They feature arguably the two best backcourt players in the conference in Demetre Roberts and Grant Singleton, while Roberts led the league in assists and finished second in scoring.
Fairleigh Dickinson vs Merrimack Predictions
Prior to the NEC Tournament starting, FDU stood out to me as the clear choice to win it all. Now, that we’re here however, it might be worth revising that opinion.
The Knights have already reached the top of their mountain by qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. No one would fault them for looking past this matchup. Merrimack on the other hand, will be treating this contest like it’s their Super Bowl.
They have nothing else to play for after this game, and can put the finishing touches an incredible season with a conference title in the first year they were eligible for postseason play.
WARRIORS WIN… A TRIP TO THE NEC FINAL!
Jordan Minor finishes the game with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Javon Bennett adds 15 points in Merrimack's 10th straight win.
Your Warriors will be back in action on Tuesday night in Lawler Arena on ESPN2!#GoMack // #MakeChaos pic.twitter.com/A7ZmEKGfOH
— Merrimack Men’s Basketball (@MerrimackMBB) March 5, 2023
They’ve won five straight games by double-digits, while each of their past eight victories have come by at least eight points. The Warriors are 11-5 ATS in their past 16 games, with an average cover margin of 4.5 points.
They’ll also have home court advantage, and FDU has not fared exceptionally well away from home. The Knights are just 8-8 straight up and 7-9 against the spread as visitors this season.
Pick: Merrimack -3.5 (-110)
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
