Marquette vs. Xavier Pick
Can No. 8 Xavier pick up a comfortable win at home when the Musketeers face Marquette tonight at 6:30PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Xavier is favored at home, as the Musketeers are getting odds of -7.5 points against Marquette. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 164.5 points. Today’s game takes place from the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio and will air live on FS1.
Xavier has won three straight coming into tonight’s game, as the Musketeers are coming off a 73-64 win at Seton Hall. Xavier is now 18-3 overall, 6-2 in the Big East and 14-7 against the spread. The Musketeers are averaging 84.5 points per game on offense while allowing 73 points per game on defense. Trevon Bluiett is leading Xavier with 19.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while J.P. Macura is adding 13.4 points per contest.
Marquette is coming off a 70-52 win over DePaul last week to get to 13-6 on the season. The Golden Eagles are also 4-3 in the Big East and 9-9 against the spread. Marquette is averaging 83.1 points per game on offense while allowing 75.7 per game on defense. Markus Howard is leading Marquette with 21.5 points per game while Andrew Rowsey is adding 20.8 per contest.
Marquette has won and covered in two of the last three meetings with Xavier. Xavier won the first meeting this season, 91-87 at Marquette back on Dec. 27. Xavier has a perfect record at home, 13-0, so I think the Musketeers shouldn’t have trouble winning today. Marquette has managed to cover in three of its four road games, playing tough at Villanova, Providence and Wisconsin. Xavier has been winning at home, but hasn’t been covering consistently at home. The Musketeers are just 2-3 ATS in their last five at home. The public betting is backing Xavier, but I will take Marquette with the points.
CBB DAILY PREDICTION: MARQUETTE +7.5