Jay Wright and his No. 14 Villanova Wildcats are on top of the Big 12 standings right now, but they are far from safe as the No. 10 Marquette Golden Eagles are breathing down their necks. A lot will be learned from this coming Saturday’s showdown between the Wildcats and the Golden Eagles, who are +4,000 and +5,000, respectively, to win the national title.
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Betting Preview for the Villanova Wildcats vs. Marquette Golden Eagles College Basketball Game on February 9, 2019
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee
When: Saturday, February 9, 2019, 2:30 PM ET
Line: Villanova Wildcats (odds) vs. Marquette Golden Eagles (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Villanova Wildcats (18-4 Overall / 9-0 Conference)
The Wildcats are in cruise control in the Big East. They have won all of their games so far in Big East play, going 9-0 SU in their last nine games after victimizing Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown Hoyas on Tuesday at home, 77-65. The upperclassmen continue to lead the way for Villanova, as Phil Booth, Eric Paschall, and Collin Gillespie are doing a fine job on the court. Against the Hoyas, Gillespie dropped 30 points on the strength of a 6-for-11 line from behind the arc, while Paschall added 24 and Booth chipping in 14. Powered by those three, Villanova has the most efficient offense in the Big East with a 57.6 effective field goal percentage. They also have the guns to engage the Eagles in a 3-point shootout, as the Wildcats are fifth in the nation with 11.0 3-pointers made per game.
Villanova, which faces the Creighton Blue Jays at home this Wednesday, is 5-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last lucky seven road games.
Betting on the Marquette Golden Eagles (19-4 Overall / 8-2 Conference)
For the second time this season, the Golden Eagles were tripped up by the ST. John’s Red Storm, losing to Chris Mullin’ boys again last Tuesday, 70-69. One key reason for Marquette’s loss at the hands of Shamorie Ponds and the Red Storm was the salty shooting night by star Markus Howard. Howard woke up Tuesday as the conference’s leading scorer with 24.6 points per game, but mustered just 17 on an inefficient 5-for-17 shooting from the field. He was especially bad from inside the arc, knocking down just one of his nine two-point shots. Howard is going to be motivated to put up a better game on Saturday against Villanova. Marquette isn’t a shabby scoring team, as it is 37th in the nation with 79.5 points per game on 46.2 field goal percentage. Defensively, the Golden Eagles can be stingy, too. They are limit the lowest opponents’ effective field goal percentage. Their defense is even way better at home where they allow just 62.5 points compared to 81.4 when they are on the road.
Marquette is 11-4 ATS in 15 games at home this season so far.
Writer’s Prediction
Marquette wins, 73-71.
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