The 2020-21 college basketball season and the Big East Conference play continues Thursday, December 17, when the Marquette Golden Eagles host the Seton Hall Pirates at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the tip-off at 9:00 PM ET.
The Pirates already beat the Golden Eagles twice in 2020 and will look for their fifth straight victory over Marquette. We’ll see a great clash between a couple of talented teams, so let’s take a look at the latest team news and stats along with the best betting pick for the Seton Hall versus Marquette showdown.
The Pirates bounced back from a poor start of the season
After three losses in their first four outings this term, the Seton Hall Pirates have won three straight contests and are 1-0 in the conference play following a 77-68 win to the St. John’s Red Storm this past Friday.
The Pirates covered a 5-point spread and are 5-2 ATS on the season. They sit at the 53rd spot of the latest KenPom rankings, scoring 109.1 points per 100 possessions (34th in the country) and surrendering 93.8 in a return (62nd).
Seton Hall is 104th in the country in field goal percentage (46.4) and 117th in 3-point percentage (35.5). Senior forward Sandro Mamukelashvili has been unstoppable thus far, averaging 20.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while junior guard Jared Rhoden is adding 14.1 points and 7.4 boards a night.
The Golden Eagles
The Marquette Golden Eagles improved to 5-2 on the young season (4-3 ATS) following an 89-84 victory over the No. 9 Creighton Blue Jays this past Monday. As huge 8.5-point road underdogs, the Golden Eagles trailed by nine at halftime, but they put on an excellent offensive performance in the second half to upset the odds.
Marquette is now No. 33 in the KenPom rankings, scoring 109.9 points per 100 possessions (21st in the country) and allowing 92.1 in a return (45th). The Golden Eagles shoot 45.2% from the field (142nd) and 38.2% from beyond the arc (57th). They hit 12 triples out of 21 attempts against Creighton.
The Eagles mostly use eight players in their rotation, and senior Koby McEwen leads the way with 15.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest. Freshman forward Dawson Garcia averages 12.9 points and 6.1 boards, while sophomore PG D.J. Carton adds 11.7 points and 3.3 assists per game.
Trends:
Seton Hall:
- N/A
Marquette:
- 11-7 ATS in the last 18 games as favorites
- 10-5 ATS in the last 15 games played in December
[metabet_core_odds_compare query=”ncaab/marquette” size=”300×250″ site_id=”atsio” css=”float:right; margin-left:10px”]The Winner Prediction
The Golden Eagles opened as 4.5-point favorites on DraftKings, and I would take them as 2.5-point favorites at slightly lower odds, expecting to see a tight battle between a couple of Big East foes. Three of the last six encounters between Seton Hall and Marquette were decided by four or fewer points, so buying a couple of points won’t hurt anyone.
Seton Hall has owned Marquette over the last few years. The Pirates are 4-0 straight up and ATS in their last four meetings with the Golden Eagles. Furthermore, the Pirates have won eight of their previous 12 encounters with Marquette while covering nine times in that span.
However, I think this is an excellent spot for Marquette to bounce back and finally beat the Pirates. The Golden Eagles possess greater depth than their rivals, so slowing Sandro Mamukelashvili down will be a key factor for the hosts.
Marquette has won four of its last five home games, covering three times in the process. Also, the Golden Eagles already have a pair of wins over the top 25 teams in the country. On the other side, the Pirates are just 2-4 straight up in their last six road tilts, going 3-3 ATS in that span.
Pick: Take Marquette -2.5 at -160
The Total:
While both Seton Hall and Marquette execute well offensively, neither side loves to play at a fast pace, making this bet on the totals a tough one. Both Pirates and Golden Eagles average 69.9 possessions per 40 minutes, enough for the 242nd-most in the country.
The betting trends are not helping much either. The over is 4-3 in the Pirates’ seven outings this season, 4-2 in their last six showings on the road, and 3-4 in the Golden Eagles’ seven games this term. Three of the last six matchups between these two schools went in the over.
I’m backing the over, hoping to see another strong offensive performance by both Marquette and Seton Hall. They know each other very well, so I don’t think there can be some defensive surprises.
Pick: Go over 145.0 points at -110