The No. 1 team in the nation was stunned Wednesday night. Villanova was no match for Xavier’s offense in a 90-83 loss. Luckily, they don’t have to face one of the nation’s top scorers this time around at Marquette. The Golden Eagles are heading into this matchup hot on the heels of back-to-back victories. They’ve been solid on defense, which could help them slow down one of the nation’s best teams.
It’s going to be one hell of a game in the Big East, especially with the regular season winding down fast. Read on as we take a look at everything you need to know heading into this matchup. For more college basketball action, check out our complete previews for SMU vs. Memphis and Providence vs. Seton Hall.
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Villanova Wildcats vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Preview
Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee
When: Saturday, February 27, 2:00 PM ET
Line: Villanova Wildcats at Marquette Golden Eagles – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the Villanova Wildcats (24-4)
Villanova really shot themselves in the foot Wednesday night. They gave up a season-high 90 points on the road against No. 5 Xavier. But Wednesday’s outing may be an anomaly for Villanova. The Wildcats own one of the best defenses in the nation. They allow just 61.5 points per game, eighth in the nation. They complement their defense with their scoring, averaging 76.1 points per game this season.
Ryan Arcidiacono also struggled in that game. He finished with eight points on 3 of 11 shooting. He’s mostly struggled recently, shooting 27 percent from the floor or worse in four of his last five games. But the senior guard may be able to shake off his horrible outings against Marquette. He had 12 points on 3 of 6 shooting (2 of 3 from downtown) in an 83-68 home victory against Marquette on January 13. He added seven boards and six assists to fill the stat sheet.
The Wildcats could also count on Kris Jenkins in this game. He had his biggest performance of the season Wednesday. Jenkins shot a season-high 70 percent for 22 points before fouling out with around eight minutes left in the game. He should be red-hot for this game, considering he scored a game-high 20 in the January 13 win against Marquette.
Villanova is 3-1 SU/ATS in their last four on the road.
Betting on the Marquette Golden Eagles (18-10)
Marquette has tightened up on their defense, holding their last three opponents to just 61 points per game. Most recently, they had a solid outing on the road, taking a 66-61 victory over Creighton on Wednesday night.
Henry Ellenson was solid Wednesday night. He finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Golden Eagles to victory. He’s averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds in his last five games. Ellenson barely missed out on a double-double in the first matchup against Villanova, finishing with 12 points and eight rebounds.
The Golden Eagles may look toward guard Haanif Cheatham in this matchup. He led the Golden Eagles with 17 points against Villanova on January 13. He’s kept himself pretty hot, averaging 16 points in his last five outings.
Marquette will have a better chance of an upset this time around if they can tighten up their defense inside. Ellenson and Luke Fischer are the Golden Eagles’ rim protectors. They’ve averaging 10 and 6.8 rebounds respectively. They also lead the team when it comes to blocks. Ellenson and Fischer are averaging 1.6 and 1.7 blocks respectively this season.
The Golden Eagles are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Villanova release their frustrations with a blowout of Marquette.
Create a betting account now and get ready as the NCAA Tournament draws nearer and nearer.
