Sacred Heart vs Merrimack Prediction 2/1/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Sacred Heart Pioneers and the Merrimack Warriors will meet on Sunday afternoon in a MAAC matchup at Lawler Arena in North Andover, Massachusetts.

Sacred Heart Pioneers Betting Preview

The Sacred Heart Pioneers enter Sunday’s game with a 10–13 overall win-loss record, including a 6–6 mark in conference play and a 5-9 record on the road. The Pioneers have compiled wins over Dartmouth, Mount St. Mary’s and Holy Cross, while losing games to Marist, Penn State, Iona and the Central Connecticut Blue Devils.

These two teams met earlier this season. Who prevailed? In the Sacred Heart Pioneers 76–72 loss to the Merrimack Warriors last month, Sacred Heart guard Dashon Gittens tallied 14 points (5 of 10 shooting from the field: 2 of 4 shooting from three-point range), 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal illustrating his ability to lead the Pioneers frontcourt.

The Sacred Heart Pioneers are averaging 75.2 points on 43.1 percent shooting from the field and 36.5 percent shooting from three-point range per game. Defensively, the Pioneers are allowing opponents 78.5 points per contest.

Senior forward Anquan Hill leads the Sacred Heart Pioneers averaging 17.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1 assist and 1.1 blocks per game. Senior guard Dashon Gittens contributes 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals per contest. Junior forward Yann Farell averages 10.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

Merrimack Warriors Betting Preview

The Merrimack Warriors enter Sunday afternoon’s contest with a 13–9 overall win–loss record, including a 9–2 mark in conference play and a 7–0 record at home. The Warriors have compiled wins over Saint Peter’s, Marist, Quinnipiac and Iona, while dropping recent games to Iona and Saint Peter’s. Earlier this week, in the Merrimack Warriors 67–59 win over Saint Peter’s, Merrimack guard Ernest Shelton tallied 21 points (4 of 8 shooting from the field), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.

The Merrimack Warriors are averaging 67 points on 41 percent shooting from the field and 31.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc per game. Defensively, the Warriors are allowing opponents 69.1 points per contest which ranks 52nd in the country.

Senior guard Kevair Kennedy leads the Merrimack Warriors averaging 17 points, 3.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Guard Ernest Shelton contributes 16 points per contest on 36.6 percent shooting from three-point range per game, while forward KC Ugwuakazi adds 5.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Why the Sacred Heart Pioneers will win

•            Balanced scoring. Anquan Hill and Dashon Gittens lead a versatile offensive attack.

•            Offensive edge. The Sacred Heart Pioneers are averaging 75.2 points per game. Conversely, the Merrimack Warriors are averaging 67 points per contest.

•            Momentum. The Massachusetts Minutemen are entering tomorrow’s matchup with Merrimack on the heels of a five-game winning streak.

Why the Merrimack Warriors will win

•            Home court dominance. The Merrimack Warriors are 7–0 at home this season.

•            Defensive consistency. The Merrimack Warriors are allowing opponents just 69.1 points per game which ranks 52nd in the nation.

•            Backcourt efficiency. Kennedy and Shelton combine for over 32 points per game providing the Warriors with balanced scoring.

Sacred Heart vs. Merrimack Prediction

This matchup features the Sacred Heart Pioneers offensive firepower and rebounding strength against a Merrimack Warriors team that is undefeated at home (7-0) this season. Sacred Heart’s scoring gives the Pioneers a path to keep this game competitive, but Merrimack’s home court dominance, quality defense and backcourt efficiency present a difficult challenge for a Pioneers team that has struggled in conference play in 2025. For the reasons just noted, I am backing the Merrimack Warriors in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Merrimack Warriors TBA