Expert prediction
SoCon Championship: Furman vs East Tennessee State Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 9)
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
- The Paladins seek their second NCAA Tournament berth in the 21st century.
- The Buccaneers look to return to their first NCAA Tournament since 2017.
- This marks the 35th all-time matchup between the two SoCon squads.
Two conference championship games will take place throughout the March 9 slate, as one will take place in the SoCon with the Furman Paladins and the East Tennessee State Buccaneers. The latter comes out as the slight favorite as both teams fight for the right to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
How to Watch
- When: Monday, March 9, 7 pm ET
- Where: Harrah’s Cherokee Center, Asheville, North Carolina
- How to Watch: ESPN
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furman | -106 | +1 | O138.5 |
| East Tennessee State | -114 | -1 | U138.5 |
Game Preview
The Paladins (21-12, 10-8 SoCon) are having a solid run in the SoCon Tournament, taking down Samford and UNC Greensboro to reach the championship round. Alex Wilkins poured in a career-high 34 points and Furman rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to top UNC Greensboro 81-75 on Sunday night in the SoCon semifinals. They earned their fourth trip to the SoCon Championship Game in the last five seasons.
The Buccaneers (23-10, 13-5 SoCon) are enjoying a strong campaign after winning the SoCon regular-season title. In the conference tournament, they got past Citadel and Western Carolina to reach the championship game. ETSU rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to defeat Western Carolina 69-67. Brian Taylor II scored 22 points to send ETSU to their second SoCon tournament title game in three seasons.
Furman vs East Tennessee State Head-to-Head
The two programs have had 34 meetings in their history, and the result is 19-15 for the Buccaneers. The last matchup was in February this year when ETSU won 78-69 at home.
Furman vs East Tennessee State Predictions
Furman is going for its eighth SoCon title and first since defeating Chattanooga in the 2023 championship game. As for ETSU, the program looks to return to its first NCAA Tournament since 2017. This game will go down to the wire as both teams fight to represent the SoCon in the NCAA Tournament. Our betting pick here is the Buccaneers to defend a 1-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick: ETSU Buccaneers -1
NCAAB
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