NCAAB: Villanova @ #11 Marquette Odds, Predictions, and Best Bets

The Big East is absolutely loaded this year, and every game seems to be a battle. We’re playing a big-time Big East battle today.

Big East basketball takes center stage on Martin Luther King Jr. Day as the Villanova Wildcats (11-5, 4-1 Big East) square off against the #11 Marquette Golden Eagles (11-5, 2-3 Big East) in an afternoon matchup. Villanova is riding the momentum of an impressive home win over DePaul, where they secured a convincing 94-69 victory, winning and covering the 19.5-point spread as favorites. On the other hand, Marquette suffered a setback in a home game against Butler, losing 69-62 as 11.5-point favorites.

Villanova (11-5) @ #11 Marquette (11-5) | FOX | 2:30 pm |

By The Numbers:

• The +5 line has been covered by the Wildcats in their last 5 road games.
• The +5 line has been covered by the Wildcats in 8 of their last 10 games.
• The +5 line has been covered by the Wildcats in 6 consecutive games on the road.
• The Wildcats are 6-9 against the spread this year so far.
• The -5 line hasn’t been covered by the Golden Eagles in 3 of their last 5 games.
• The -5 line hasn’t been covered by the Golden Eagles in 2 consecutive games.
• The -5 line hasn’t been covered by the Golden Eagles in 7 of their last 10 games against Villanova.
• The Golden Eagles are 9-7 against the spread this year.

The Breakdown

Tyler Kolek, for Marquette, currently experiencing a shooting slump, is still one of my favorite players in the country. In their recent two-game skid to Seton Hall and Butler, Kolek struggled, making only two of 19 field goal attempts, resulting in a combined seven points. While still a skilled facilitator, Kolek’s ability to find his shot is crucial for the Golden Eagles’ offensive success. He’s just too skilled and too confident to stay down for this long. And I love him at home.

Despite the Villanova Wildcats welcoming back Justin Moore, their reliable ball handler for the game against DePaul, generating quality looks against Marquette’s ball-pressure defense remains a challenge. Marquette has the option to utilize their big man Oso Ighodaro, on the perimeter to match up against Eric Dixon and capitalize on transition plays, where the team excels, ranking in the top 40.

Villanova heavily relies on three-point shooting, ranking 14th in three-point rate, but the squad is shooting only 33%, placing them 203rd in the nation. This may make things extra tough against a Marquette team that currently ranks 10th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency.

When it comes down to it, I think Marquette gets back on track at home. It’s an odd matinee start time, and I think the Marquette defense is going to present serious issues to Villanova. If Kolek gets back to his normal ways, I like Marquette to handle the Wildcats at home.

Take Marquette -6.5