The No. 17 Marquette Golden Eagles have surged down the regular-season homestretch, cashing with a 4-1 ATS mark in their last five contests. Buzz Williams’ troops head east for Tuesday’s matchup against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, whose spread record has reached a 2-5 slide in their last seven battles.
Will Marquette stay hot in this road spot or can Rutgers
get the money as a home dog? Find out which way we are looking to lean with our NCAA Basketball picks in this matchup.
Eagles, Otule down Irish
Marquette shot 59.6 percent from the floor in Saturday’s
72-64 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, picking up its latest cashed
ticket as six-point home ‘chalk.’ Golden
Eagles forward Jamil Wilson notched a team-high 19 points, while adding four
boards.
Marquette’s Chris Otule had a perfect 8-for-8 day of
field shooting, finishing with 16 points. The Texas native united with mate
Trent Lockett for a pair of blocks each, while Lockett logged two of his side’s
nine steals.
The matchup’s combined 136 points saw OVER backers
collect, moving the wager to a 3-2 mark in the Golden Eagles’ last five
contests. Marquette drained 5-of-11 buckets from three-point land, while
sinking 11-of-18 free throws.
Knights left behind at Georgetown
Rutgers logged its fourth straight loss with Saturday’s
64-51 defeat against the Georgetown Hoyas, while holding on to collect by a
‘hook’ as a 13 ½-point road dog. The Scarlet Knights were held to a 37 percent
night of field shooting, while being edged in rebounds, 34-23.
Knights forward Wally Judge was his squad’s sole member
to score double figures, logging 11 points. Rutgers’ Jerome Seagears notched
five of his side’s 12 assists, while mate Myles Mack recorded three steals.
The battle’s combined 115 points ducked below the ‘total’
of 121, making the UNDER 8-3 in the Scarlet Knights’ last 11 games. Rutgers hit
a subpar 6-of-15 free throws, while outscored in the second half, 35-23.
Back Marquette as road ‘chalk’
The NCAA Basketball odds makers opened Marquette as a 6 ½-point road favorite,
while listing a money line of plus 240 on Rutgers. Marquette wraps up its
regular season with Saturday’s road spot against St. John’s, while Rutgers
plays its finale in a Friday night affair at Seton Hall.
I am adding Marquette to my night of sports picks, laying
the points on the road.
The Golden Eagles cashed in their last two spots as road
‘chalk,’ piling in blowout victories last month over Seton Hall and South
Florida. Otule and Co. have held opposing foes to 40.1 percent field shooting
away from home all year, giving up a stingy 61.7 PPG.
Marquette’s Davante Gardner continues to be one of the
Big East’s best shooters (57.3 percent), combining to connect at a 9-for-10
clip in his last two games. The favorite is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings
between these foes, including last February’s 82-65 triumph for the Golden
Eagles as 11 ½-point home ‘chalk.’
Rutgers is 0-7 ATS in their home dates since Jan. 12,
dropping three of the contests by double digits. Look for the Scarlet Knights
to be outmatched again here, with Marquette pulling away down the stretch.
NCAA Basketball Pick:
Marquette Golden Eagles – 6 ½ (5Dimes.eu)
For another take on this matchup check out our NCAA Basketball Picks of the Day.