Score Predictions for West Virginia vs. Mercer

It's the last tune-up game for West Virginia before they fly out to Las Vegas to participate in the Players Era tournament, where the competition will intensify considerably.

Can the Mountaineers make easy work of the Mercer Bears? Our picks for tonight's game.

Schuyler Callihan: West Virginia 88, Mercer 55

Mercer's guard-heavy lineup will have trouble competing on the glass in this game, but also putting the ball on the deck and getting downhill.

They have not shot the three-ball well as a team through their first four games, connecting on just 27% of their attempts. To make matters worse, they just played an exhausting overtime game against Georgia Southern two nights ago, who are a high-paced team, so their legs may not be under them to improve that three-point clip tonight.

Maybe tonight is when Finley Bizjack, who is 3/10 on the season from beyond the arc, gets going from downtown. They'll need him to start knocking down shots when they get to Vegas, so him getting dialed in tonight would be a good sign.

Much like the first two games for the Mountaineers, things may look a little out of sorts at times in the first half, especially not having played a game in six days, but it will be the same story — a win in blowout fashion.

Christopher Hall: West Virginia 94, Mercer 54

This game is not about if West Virginia will beat Mercer, but the margin of victory.

West Virginia has rolled in Its first two games of the season, and after the 91-53 thumping of Stetson last Friday, it already feels this group is coming together.

Freshman Miles Sadler led the team in scoring in the first two games and is averaging 20.5 points per game.

Although Sadler has dazzled, there is plenty of firepower surrounding the freshman phenom which is a change of pace from previous seasons. Joson Sanon had come off the bench and is deadly from the perimeter, hitting threes at a 64.3% clip and Finley Bizjack has worked his way to the free throw line by driving the paint. Then, there’s big man Mouhamed Sylla averaging 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds.

This edition of the Mountaineers might be the best offensive team since maybe the John Beilein era that had the likes of Kevin Pittsnogle and Mike Gansey.

Mercer will provide a challenge with five Bears averaging double figures and may be able to keep pace and possibly within striking distance at halftime. However, I expect big WVU runs in the first and second half for an inevitable beatdown.

West Virginia improves to 3-0 with a 94-59 victory.

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