Another NCAA Tournament ticket will be punched tonight when the East Tennessee State Buccaneers face the Furman Paladins for the Southern Conference crown. Tip-off from Asheville, NC is at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
My East Tennessee State vs. Furman predictions and college basketball picks for Monday, March 9 explain why ETSU will come out on top.
East Tennessee State vs Furman prediction
Who will win East Tennessee State vs Furman?
East Tennessee State will carry its momentum into the SoCon final to earn a spot in March Madness.
East Tennessee State vs Furman best bet
East Tennessee State vs Furman best bet: East Tennessee State -2 (-110)
Winning in the postseason requires making every possession count. That’s why it’s difficult to trust a Furman Paladins team ranked 255th in turnover rate and 283rd in free-throw accuracy.
The Paladins have narrowly won their two games in the SoCon Tournament behind timely 3-point shooting, but they’re inconsistent from deep. And Asa Thomas, their best shooting threat, has provided very little in this tournament.
The East Tennessee State Buccaneers shoot the ball well, don’t turn it over, and have a Top-30 block rate. The Bucs also lead the conference in accuracy from the charity stripe.
I’ll take the more consistent, more reliable team to close it out.
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East Tennessee State vs Furman same-game parlay
The Over is 6-1 in the last seven meetings between these teams, including both games this season. With a tournament berth on the line, I expect to see the losing team fouling without end down the stretch, which will help push a close game over the number.
East Tennessee State vs Furman SGP
- East Tennessee State -2
- Over 139.5
Our beyond the arc SGP: Barkley has bite
Blake Barkley missed the last meeting with Furman, but he scored 15 in the first despite a poor shooting performance. He’s put the Bucs on his back in this tournament when they’ve needed baskets and will do so again.
Alex Wilkins scored 34 points to carry Furman to the title game, after 19 points in the first SoCon tourney outing. He scored 21 and 19 in the earlier meetings and will have to have a huge game here to keep Furman in it.
East Tennessee State vs Furman SGP
- East Tennessee State -2
- Over 139.5
- Blake Barkley Over 15.5 points
- Alex Wilkins Over 16.5 points
East Tennessee State vs Furman odds
- Spread: ETSU -1 (-110) | Furman +1 (-110)
- Moneyline: ETSU -120 | Furman +100
- Over/Under: Over 138.5 (-110) | Under 138.5 (-110)
East Tennessee State vs Furman betting trend to know
ETSU has hit the Over in 9 of their last 12 games (+5.70 Units / 43% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for East Tennessee State vs. Furman.
How to watch East Tennessee State vs Furman
| Location | Harrah's Cherokee Center, Asheville, NC |
| Date | Monday, March 9, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
East Tennessee State vs Furman key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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