Villanova Wildcats vs Marquette Golden Eagles NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/24/25
Looking to win big? The Wildcats and Golden Eagles face off at 7:00 ET on FS1. The Golden Eagles are hosting the game at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI. The odds for this Big East conference game currently have Marquette as the -8.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 142.5 points.
VILLANOVA WILDCATS VS MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Villanova Wildcats +8.5
This game will be played at Fiserv Forum at 7:00 ET on Friday, January 24th.
WHY BET THE VILLANOVA WILDCATS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Golden Eagles.
- Even though we have Marquette winning straight-up, we like Villanova at +8.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 142.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Can the Wildcats Pull the Upset on the Road?
Villanova Wildcats Recent Game/Games
Villanova’s season record dropped to 12-8 after a narrow 64-63 loss to Georgetown on Monday. The Wildcats, who were -7.5 favorites at home, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.
Villanova led 34-27 at halftime but allowed 37 points in the 2nd half while scoring 29. The game’s total points of 127 fell short of the 134.5 O/U line.
Villanova’s offense put up 63 points in their last game, shooting 40% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc, hitting 10 threes on 25 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 49.1%, and they connected on 75% of their free throws, going 9-for-12.
Eric Dixon led the way with 29 points, hitting 5 threes at a 50% clip, while Micah Peavy added 24 points, shooting 66.7% from deep. Villanova grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists in the game.
Villanova’s defense held their opponent to 64 points on 40% shooting from the field. They allowed 22 made field goals on 55 attempts.
From beyond the arc, their opponent shot 40%, hitting 10 of 25 three-point attempts. Villanova also sent them to the line 12 times, where they made 9 free throws.
Can the Golden Eagles Secure a Win at Home?
Marquette Golden Eagles Recent Game/Games
Marquette improved to 16-3 on the season with a 76-59 road win over Seton Hall on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles entered the game as -13 favorites and covered the spread with the victory.
Marquette took control early, leading 33-21 at halftime. They scored 43 points in the second half while allowing 38. The game’s total points (135) fell just under the 138.5-point O/U line.
Marquette put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 41.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 50%. They connected on 37% of their three-point attempts, hitting 10 of 27 from deep, while going 14 of 31 on two-pointers (45.2%). At the free-throw line, the Golden Eagles made 18 of 25 attempts, good for 72%.
Isaiah Coleman led the way with 27 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 9 of 14 from the field. Kam Jones added 19 points, hitting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, and Prince Aligbe contributed 12 points on 6 of 8 shooting. Marquette also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and dished out 14 assists in the win.
Marquette’s defense gave up 59 points, allowing the opposing team to shoot 48% from the field. The Golden Eagles struggled to contain two-point shots, with the other team hitting 62% of their attempts (20/32).
However, Marquette’s defense excelled at the perimeter, holding the opposition to just 1/11 from three-point range, a 9% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 20 times, where they converted 16 free throws (80%).