| MATCHUP | Merrimack Warriors | Canisius Golden Griffins |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 20-9 | 9-20 |
| Where | Koessler Athletic Center, Buffalo, NY | |
| When | Friday, February 27, 2026 | |
| Time | 07:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
The Merrimack Warriors and the Canisius Golden Griffins meet Friday in college basketball action from Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo. Here’s a Merrimack vs Canisius prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Merrimack vs Canisius pick. We will examine the recent form and player performances for both teams, as well as the recent betting trends and streaks pertaining to this matchup. As we conclude, we will tie it all together with a summary that produces a sensible pick for a favorable betting outcome in this game.
Merrimack Warriors Betting Preview
This year the Warriors went 10-7 in their first 17 games out of the gate. Merrimack hit a 2-2 run from there with losses to Saint Peter’s and Iona. Since then it’s been a nice winning streak with victories over Saint Peter’s, Sacred Heart, Mount St. Mary’s, Rider, Marist, Quinnipiac, Siena and Iona. That gives the Warriors a 20-9 run through 29 games so far this year.
In the Iona matchup on Sunday the Warriors had a 36-33 advantage after the first half. Merrimack was outscored 35-32 the rest of the way however, leading to overtime. After two extra periods the Warriors eventually emerged victorious with an 88-86 result on their home court. Tops in scoring was Kevin Kennedy with 20 points and seven assists alongside six rebounds.
Canisius Golden Griffins Betting Preview
Over on the Canisius side, they were able to maintain an 8-8 run in their first 16 games. The Griffins lost to Iona, Niagara, Mount St. Mary’s, Sacred Heart, Fairfield, Marist, Siena, Niagara, Quinnipiac, Iona and Manhattan from there, then got a win over Rider. After another loss to Mount St. Mary’s, Canisius is sitting at 9-20 over the first 29 games this year.
Matched up against the Mountaineers over the weekend the Griffins were sitting in the locker room with a four-point lead 24-20. Canisius was outscored 48-23 the rest of the way however, leading to a 68-47 loss on the road in the end. Kahlil Singleton led the team on 15 points with four rebounds while Bryan Ndjonga added 13 points with four rebounds and two assists.
Merrimack Warriors @ Canisius Golden Griffins Betting Trends: February 27, 2026
Why the Canisius Golden Griffins will win
- Merrimack has lost each of its last three night games after coming off overtime.
Why the Merrimack Warriors will win
- Merrimack has won each of its last eight games.
- Canisius has lost 12 of its last 13 games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
- Merrimack has won the first half in six of its last seven road night games against Conference opponents.
Merrimack vs Canisius Prediction
I’ll lean toward Merrimack. The Warriors were able to power out a double-overtime win versus Iona over the weekend despite shooting a tepid 41.3 percent from the field. Merrimack had a 40-29 deficit on the boards but made up for it with 89.3 percent (25-of-28) from the line. That makes eight straight wins for Merrimack, and overall they’re scoring pretty well these days.
As for Canisius, they didn’t start out horribly in the first half of their latest loss to Mount St. Mary’s but ended up shooting just 35.6 percent from the field. The Griffins were out-rebounded 32-24, outscored in the paint 36-20 and had 17 turnovers. Canisius is just 1-12 in their last 13 games and I’m not thrilled about their chances here.