The Marquette Golden Eagles have pulled off some memorable upsets in their history and beating the top-ranked Villanova Wildcats might be the biggest of them all. It’s not going to be an easy chore, but the Golden Eagles will be a well rested group heading into their Big East showdown on Saturday. Marquette will have a whole week off while the Wildcats have a battle with No. 18 Butler on Wednesday before entertaining the Golden Eagles on Saturday night.
Don't miss the hardwood action from the Wells Fargo Center at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 7, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on FS1.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
Odds at BookMaker.eu
Marquette fell to 10-4 straight up with Sunday’s loss to Seton Hall, but it covered the spread and is 8-6 ATS this season. The Golden Eagles will be playing just their third road game of the season and they covered each time, winning outright as a 3-point favorite at Georgia and losing 69-66 on Sunday as a 3.5-point dog.
Villanova comes off a two-game road trip against ranked opponents to begin a stretch where it plays four of the next five at home. The Wildcats have been nearly unbeatable on their own floor winning all six games this season and 52 of 54 played in Philly since the 2013-14 season. They struggled to beat DePaul in their most recent home outing, winning 68-65 as a 24.5-point favorite.
Let Down Situation
The Golden Eagles had a victory within their grasp and were on the verge of stealing one from Seton Hall on Sunday. But in the span of 14 seconds late in regulation, a three-point lead turned into a two-point deficit and Marquette left with a 69-66 setback. Marquette isn’t the most talented team in the Big East and the waning moments of that game showed how slim the margin is between victory and defeat.
Marquette can’t get by playing fewer than 40 minutes of tenacious basketball. They did the little things against the Pirates for most of the game and were oh so close to pulling off the upset. A letdown in the final seconds proved fatal. Now, the Eagles need to regroup after that gut-wrenching defeat and tackle the No. 1 team in the country on the road.
Player to Watch
Plain and simple, Nova’s Josh Hart is a winner. He wasn’t the most talented player when he joined the team four years ago and he’s considered a relic in the basketball world these days. Hart honored his commitment to the school and returned for his senior season when the NBA was calling. Hart has improved his ball-handling and shooting to become a prime candidate for the national player of the year. He’s put the Wildcats on his back several times this season and leads the team in scoring and rebounding while shooting better than 56 percent from the floor. They guy can do it all.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Marquette has to still be reeling from its loss to Seton Hall last Sunday. It was a game the Golden Eagles had if they could only snare a rebound or knock down a shot in the final minute. They failed to do either and the result was a heart-breaking loss. And it could have a snow-ball effect for the young club. It also doesn’t help that they get the No. 1 team on the road in a follow-up game. Marquette is a gritty team and they’ll throw a scare into the Wildcats, but Villanova has too much talent and experience to let this one slip away.
Nova has the best player in the country in Hart and will also allow Kris Jenkins and Jalen Brunson to do their thing. The Wildcats aren’t a deep team and the only thing that could possibly slow them down is foul trouble or an injury. We never know when an injury can occur, but the Wildcats have been blessed during their run to end last season and to start this one. Brunson will be the X-factor for Nova. The sophomore has emerged as a bona fide scoring option and has the talent to do it all on the court. He complements the seniors and they in turn have confidence in his ability to do damage. I see Nova pulling away in the second half for a cover win.
College Basketball Odds: Villanova 82, Marquette 67
BookMaker.eu offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu!
