Wednesday night college hoops sets up a clear get right spot in Syracuse. The Orange are still searching for a performance that snaps a frustrating stretch and restores confidence before conference play ramps up. Mercyhurst comes to town as a sizable underdog, but the bigger storyline sits with Syracuse and their need to play a complete game on both ends of the floor. With notable line movement, a wide gap in the metrics, and urgency starting to build, this matchup offers more than just a lopsided number. Do the Orange finally bounce back?
Mercyhurst vs Syracuse: Odds & Predictions | December 17, 2025
Written by: Colby Marchio
Published: Wed Dec 17, 2025, 10:49 am ET
Read Time: 4 minutes
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FINAL
Mercyhurst Lakers
62
Syracuse Orange
76
Write Up Transparency
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Last 7 Days: 11-9 (+0.54 Units)
Last 30 Days: 44-31 (+12.87 Units)
Mercyhurst vs Syracuse Odds
Will the Orange show up against the Lakers?
You can find all of these great College Basketball odds on Lucky Rebel. Get a $1,250 deposit bonus & 50 Slot Spins when you sign up!
Spread
Mercyhurst: +25.5 (-108)
Syracuse: -25.5 (-112)
Total
Over: 132.0 (-112)
Under: 132.0 (-108)
Moneyline
Mercyhurst: N/A
Syracuse: N/A
Mercyhurst vs Syracuse Best Bet
Wednesday college hoops tips off tonight in Syracuse, where the struggling Orange host the Mercyhurst Lakers. Both teams are coming off losses in their previous matchups. Will the Orange overlook the Lakers, or will they finally get back to their winning ways? Let us dig in.
Line Movement
The line movement in this matchup has been driven entirely by money coming in on Syracuse. It originally opened at 20.5, which is where I grabbed the Orange. With the line now up five points, I would suggest waiting to see if there is buyback on Mercyhurst, but I do believe the Orange get right in this spot.
Syracuse is coming off a flat performance against Hofstra this past weekend, suffering their fourth loss of the season and their third in the last five games. The Orange will be looking to take that frustration out on the Lakers.
So far this season, Mercyhurst has faced four top 100 teams. In those games, they lost by an average of 23.2 points. They did manage to keep it close against Miami of Ohio, losing by five. This will be the second highest ranked team they have seen this season, the other being West Virginia, which beat them 70 to 38.
Mercyhurst ranks in the bottom 50 nationally, per Bart Torvik's rankings. The Lakers are one of the worst offenses in the country, ranking in the bottom 35 in free throw rate, free throw percentage, and three point percentage. Defensively, they send opponents to the line frequently, struggle on the glass, and do not defend the perimeter well.
Gap in Metrics
This sets up as a perfect get right game for the Orange. This season, Syracuse has done a strong job attacking the glass, protecting the basketball, and getting to the line. Shot making at the stripe has been an issue, as the Orange rank dead last in free throw percentage. Fortunately, their defense has been outstanding, ranking 13th in effective field goal percentage allowed, 29th in turnover rate, and fifth in interior defense. They also boast the sixth highest block percentage in the country. Tonight should be a miserable matchup for the Lakers.
Keep an eye on the line, as some buyback could create a better number. Even so, I expect the Orange to put their foot on the gas tonight. They cannot afford another sluggish performance with conference play approaching. It is time to get right.
Best Bet: Syracuse -25.5 (-112) on Lucky Rebel
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Former D1 (club) baseball player, Colby has been betting since his college days at DePaul, where he had to endure the worst collegiate basketball the Big East has ever seen. He is an advanced analytics nerd and has never seen an underdog he has not liked. Hot. Corn. Bull. It does not matter the dog he loves them all.
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