Villanova vs. Marquette prediction, pick, college basketball odds

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Villanova has had a very bumpy ride this season, while Marquette is arguably the best Big East team in the entire country. It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Villanova-Marquette prediction and pick.

Villanova has been inconsistent this year on their way to a 12-8 record. They have big wins against Cincinnati, Temple, Seton Hall, Butler, UConn, and Providence. They also have some notable losses to Virginia, Maryland, Creighton, St. John’s, Xavier, and Georgetown. Eric Dixon makes the Wildcats go and is easily the best player on the roster. He will be huge in this game, where Villanova can get a massive road win.

Marquette is 16-3 this season, with notable wins against Maryland, Purdue, Georgia, Wisconsin, Butler, Providence, Creighton, and Georgetown. They also have losses to Iowa State, Dayton, and Xavier up to this point in the season. Kam Jones is also the best player on the Golden Eagles and can get a bucket when they need it. Marquette can win a big conference in this matchup to stay atop the Big East.

Here are the Villanova-Marquette College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel 

College Basketball Odds: Villanova-Marquette Odds

Villanova: +9.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +360

Marquette: -9.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -480

Over: 142.5 (-110)

Under: 142.5 (-110)

How to Watch Villanova vs. Marquette

Time: 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT

TV: FS1

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*

Why Villanova Will Cover The Spread/Win

Villanova’s offense has been solid this season. They score 76.9 points per game, have a 47.5% field goal percentage, and a 40.3% three-point shooting percentage. Villanova is also 12th in KenPom in offensive rating at 121.7. Four Wildcats are averaging over double digits in scoring, with Eric Dixon being the main leader on this offense with 24.9 points per game. Jhamir Brickus is also easily the leader in passing the ball this year, with 5.6 assists per game. The offense is a big key for the Wildcats, but this is a big matchup against Marquette and this defense on the road. Dixon will get his offense, but it’s questionable if the rest of the team can step up in this game.

Villanova’s defense has been solid at best this season. They allow 67.8 points per game, 42.6% from the field, and 36% from behind the arc. Two players average at least six rebounds per game, with Enoch Boakye leading the team with 6.6 rebounds per game, and then Wooga Poplar is second with 6.5 rebounds per game. Boakye is also the block leader, with 0.9 per game down low. Regarding on-ball defense, Jordan Longino leads the team in steals with 1.5 per game. This defense also struggles in adjusted metrics, with their KenPom defensive rating at 106.9, which is good for 180th in college basketball. The Wildcats have a tough matchup against Marquette, and it only gets tougher against an offense that can get red-hot at any time, especially at home.

Why Marquette Will Cover The Spread/Win

Marquette has been one of the better offenses in the Big East, but they have been inconsistent as a unit. They score 78.8 points per game, have a field goal percentage of 44.8%, and a three-point percentage of 32.9%. They are also 24th in offensive rating on Ken Pom with an offensive rating of 118.6. Four Golden Eagles are averaging over double digits this season, with Kam Jones leading the team with 19.1 points per game while also leading the team in passing with 6.5 assists per game. Jones is the engine behind this offense and should have no issues scoring on Villanova and their defense in this matchup, especially at home.

Marquette’s defense has been great this year. They allow 66.5 points per game, 43.9% from the field, and 30.3% from behind the arc. They also are 13th in defensive rating on Ken Pom at 94.1. Marquette has struggled on the boards as a team, with David Joplin leading the team with 5.3 rebounds per game. Kam Jones is just behind with 4.8 per game. Joplin also leads the team in blocks with 1.2 per game. Four different Golden Eagles also average at least one steal, with Stevie Mitchell leading the entire team with 2.6 per game. Marquette’s defense has the ability to come at Villanova in waves. They should slow down this offense, even going up against Dixon.

Final Villanova-Marquette Prediction & Pick

Villanova might have the best player in this game in Eric Dixon, but as a team, they can’t match up with Marquette. The Golden Eagles have more depth and, thanks to Kam Jones, have a player who can match Eric Dixon bucket for bucket. It also helps that Marquette is playing at home in this game, too. I think Marquette wins and covers easily at home against the Wildcats and stays atop the Big East.

Final Villanova-Marquette Prediction & Pick: Marquette -9.5 (-110)

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