The 14th-ranked Villanova Wildcats (19-4, 10-0 Big East) and their sensational offense head to Marquette to take on the 10th-ranked Golden Eagles (19-4, 8-2 Big East) and their stifling defense. The game starts at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 9, 2019.
Villanova Wildcats at Marquette Golden Eagles ATS Odds
In their last outing, the Golden Eagles lost a winnable game to the St. John’s Red Storm, 70-69, while the Wildcats beat the Creighton Bluejays, 66-59.
Villanova dominated nearly every stat category in the game. They had a free throw rate of 0.250 (matching their season average) and a turnover percentage of 10.9 (better than their season average of 15.0). For those same stats, Creighton had marks of 0.113 and 16.2, respectively. Marquette, meanwhile, had a free throw rate of 0.315 (above their season average of 0.280). Sam Hauser had a good outing for Marquette, finishing with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Meanwhile, Eric Paschall played a key role for Villanova with 15 points and seven rebounds.
The Wildcats dominated this series last year, taking all three games. In the most recent matchup, Villanova won 94-70. The Wildcats’ 34.5 offensive rebounding percentage was their biggest advantage over the Golden Eagles, who had a mark of 20.6. This will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams.
A focal point for the Marquette offense is getting to the free throw line. The Golden Eagles rank 36th in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.282), but Villanova is among the best in the NCAA at keeping opponents away from the charity stripe (ranking 60th by yielding a FTA rate of 0.192). Furthermore, the 16th-ranked offense of the Wildcats (offensive efficiency of 115.9) will clash against the 40th-ranked defense of the Golden Eagles (defensive efficiency of 95.6).
Villanova at Marquette Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Marquette, ATS Winner – Marquette, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- Villanova ranks 31st in steals allowed per game (5.2) while Marquette ranks 164th (7.2).
- The Golden Eagles rank 29th in blocks per game (4.7) while the Wildcats rank 130th (3.0).
- Marquette ranks 110th in assists per game (14.0) while Villanova ranks 138th in assists allowed per game (13.2).
- The Wildcats rank fourth in three pointers attempted per game (30.0) while the Golden Eagles rank 108th (23.8).
- Marquette ranks 45th in rebounds per game (38.5) while Villanova ranks 147th (35.7).
Bettings Trends:
- The Golden Eagles’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 8.6, down from 10.0 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Wildcats have scored an average of 77.8 points per game (1.5 above their season average) and allowed an average of 64.4 points per game (2.2 below their season average).
