.jpg "Marquette-at-Villanova-(FS1)")
The Villanova Wildcats are one of the best teams in the country but have some work to do to get back atop the Big East. Villanova lost an early conference game to fellow power Xavier, and needs to pick up some wins to climb up the standings.
The Wildcats will aim to take care of business this week when they host the Marquette Golden Eagles. While Villanova is the superior team, Marquette has been playing well of late and would love to pull the upset.
The Wildcats need to take care of business to keep pace with Xavier while a win by Marquette would be a huge boost to its March Madness hopes.
Don't miss the hardwood action from The Pavilion at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 6, 2018. 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 Analysis
Villanova is 13-1 straight up and 9-4-1 against the spread. The Wildcats have gone 2-2 attempting to cover at home this season. Villanova has been favored in every game this year and it won’t change in this one.
Marquette is 11-4 straight up and 6-8 against the spread. The Golden Eagles have covered both of their attempts on the road this season. Marquette is 1-3 against the spread as the underdog on the year.
Key Stat
101. That’s the number of points Villanova gave up last time out to Xavier, which was the most by an opponent this season. The Wildcats have been dominant this year because they are averaging 88.1 points per game but allowing only 68.4 per contest.
Villanova’s point-differential is elite and a good reason to believe that its status as one of the best teams in the country is well-founded. Marquette is averaging 83.5 points per game so it will be interesting to see if Villanova can keep them in check.
The Wildcats seem likely to be able to put up points in this one. If their defense can flex its muscle then Villanova shouldn’t have much trouble picking up this victory.
Player to Watch
Markus Howard — Marquette’s sophomore guard set a school record on Wednesday, exploding for 52 points in his team’s 95-90 overtime win over Providence. He finished the night 17-of-29 from the field and turned it on when his team needed him most, collected 42 of his 52 points in the second half and overtime.
Howard, who is one of the better three-point shooters in college basketball, also had 11 three-pointers in his team’s win and was perfect from the free-throw line. With his stellar performance, the 18-year-old became the first Division I player to score more than 50 points in a game this season.
Howard is averaging 22.6 points a game for Marquette this year. He is shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 40.3 percent from behind the arc.
Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks
Howard may be the most prolific scorer in this matchup, but Villanova has the deeper team and the home court advantage. The Golden Eagles have enough talent to keep this one close for awhile, but look for the Wildcats to eventually wear them down.
Villanova won’t have to sweat this one out as it should be able to put some distance between the teams in the second half. Take the Wildcats to re-establish themselves as a top team in the conference with a strong win over a solid opponent in Marquette.
The “over” should be a consideration on the scoring total as Marquette should really push the pace as it tries to keep up. The spread will be an interesting one, and Villanova could be the right choice there.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: Villanova 88, Marquette 77
BookMaker 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 Sportsbook!
