- Matchup: Mercer Bears vs. UNC Greensboro Spartans
- Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
- Venue: First Horizon Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
- Broadcast: ESPN+
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The UNC Greensboro Spartans, with a record of 6-11, will be looking for a victory against the Mercer Bears, who come in at 10-7, on Saturday.
In their previous outing, the Mercer Bears secured a commanding victory over Wofford, finishing with a score of 109-97. The Bears committed 20 fouls, while Wofford had 24. Mercer excelled from long range, converting 16 of 32 attempts from beyond the arc. Wofford, on the other hand, shot 77.3% from the free-throw line, sinking 17 of 22. They managed to collect 28 rebounds, with 12 on offense and 16 on defense, but did not achieve a single block. The Bears, defensively, allowed Wofford to shoot 47.1% from the floor (32 of 68), while also posting 23 assists and forcing 12 turnovers. Mercer grabbed 33 rebounds, including 7 offensive, and shot an impressive 87.1% from the charity stripe, finishing with 27 successful free throws out of 31 attempts. They concluded the game with a 63.6% field goal percentage (35 of 55) and hit 12 of their 19 three-point shots.
A standout performer for Mercer was Baraka Okojie, who scored 29 points on 7 of 13 shooting. He played 37 minutes, recorded 3 rebounds, and handed out 12 assists, achieving a field goal percentage of 53.8%.
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The Bears enter this contest with a 10-7 record this season. They average 10.9 turnovers and 15.8 fouls per game. Mercer retrieves 38.7 rebounds per outing and has accumulated 259 assists thus far, ranking 152nd in Division 1 in assist totals. They’re hitting 35.0% from three-point range (164 out of 469) and are successful on 72.7% of free-throw attempts. Mercer scores an average of 84.8 points per game, placing them 50th nationally while shooting 46.4% from the field.
Defensively, the Bears force 14.3 turnovers each game and average 17.6 personal fouls. They rank 120th in the nation for assists allowed, conceding 218 assists throughout the season. Their defensive field goal percentage stands at 42.0% (456 of 1,085), and they allow 38.8 rebounds per game while permitting opponents to shoot 32.5% from beyond the arc. Mercer ranks 210th in Division 1 for points surrendered, averaging 74.5 points allowed per game.
In their most recent game, the UNC Greensboro Spartans suffered a loss to East Tennessee State, concluding the game 86-60. The Spartans allowed 27 rebounds, with only 3 offensive boards. They managed to connect on 6 out of 18 three-point attempts, resulting in a shooting percentage of 33.3%, while converting 6 of 8 free throws (75.0%). On the defensive end, the Spartans let East Tennessee State shoot 37 of 62 from the field, which equated to a shooting percentage of 59.7%. UNC Greensboro shot 34.0% from the field on 18 out of 53 attempts and made just 5 of their 20 three-point attempts (25.0%). With 19 successful free throws, their free throw shooting stood at 76.0%. They also turned the ball over 21 times and managed to make only 5 steals, while pulling down 33 rebounds (21 defensive and 12 offensive).
KJ Younger was a key player for the Spartans, scoring 13 points on 5 of 12 shooting for a conversion rate of 41.7%, also contributing 7 rebounds during his 29 minutes on the floor but did not register an assist.
The Spartans have compiled a record of 6-11 this year. Offensively, they are shooting at 45.3% from the field, ranking 189th in college basketball, and have amassed a total of 1,330 points, averaging 78.2 points per game. Additionally, they secure 36.6 rebounds per game and average 12.5 assists (298th in college basketball) while committing 11.2 turnovers per contest. The Spartans are averaging 15.2 personal fouls per game and shoot 69.5% from the free throw line.
Defensively, UNC Greensboro allows 35.8% from three-point range (172 of 480) and opponents convert 70.2% of their free throw attempts against them. They give up an average of 14.8 assists and 35.6 rebounds per game, ranking 275th and 243rd in the nation respectively. The Spartans are positioned 323rd in Division 1 for points allowed per game, giving up an average of 80.3. They force only 9.1 turnovers per game while opponents shoot 45.5% against them from the field (ranking 287th in college basketball).
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA matchup against the spread?
Prediction: Go with Mercer
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