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There are some excellent games around the nation Monday in college basketball because holiday tournaments are starting. 2023 NCAA Basketball Betting & Expert Analysis #25 UCLA vs. #4 Marquette | MyBookie Sportsbook College Basketball Regular Season: November 6, 2023 – March 17, 2024 | Week 3 NCAAB

The marquee event is the Maui Invitational – but taking place in Honolulu this year — and we have a spectacular late Monday matchup between No. 25 UCLA and No. 4 Marquette with the Golden Eagles favored on the NCAAB odds.

How to Bet UCLA vs. Marquette NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

When: Monday, 11:30 PM ET
Where: Stan Sheriff Center, Honolulu
TV: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Tunein.com
Opening NCAAB Lines: Marquette -4.5 (total 138.5)

Series History

The Bruins concluded a home-and-home series against Marquette two years ago, with UCLA winning in Pauley Pavilion (69-60) in December 2020 and the Bruins securing a win (67-56) in Milwaukee in December 2021. The Bruins have gone 4-0 all-time vs. Marquette, with the two prior meetings taking place in 1949 and 1964.

Why Bet on UCLA Bruins?

No. 25 UCLA (3-0) has not been tested against a pretty weak schedule and is off a 78-58 victory over Long Island University on Wednesday. Sophomore Adem Bona led the way for the Bruins with 20 points, a career-high 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Bona joined freshman Aday Mara (14 points), freshman Jan Vide (12 points) and freshman Sebastian Mack (11 points) in double figures. Mara made six of nine shots from the field, totaling four blocks and four rebounds. Vide was 5-for-7 shooting and 2-for-2 at the free throw stripe. He finished the game with a team-leading seven assists and just one turnover.

The Bruins shot 55.6 percent from the field, sinking 30 of 54 shots. UCLA’s streak of 792 consecutive contests with at least one 3-point basket was snapped on Monday night. The Bruins went 0-for-6 from 3-point territory, marking UCLA’s first game without a made 3-pointer since Feb. 3, 2000 (in a loss to Stanford in Pauley Pavilion).

“We have got to take care of the basketball,” said UCLA coach Mick Cronin. “I’ve got to get somebody out there that can take care of the basketball or we’re in trouble. We only got 53 shots off. Right now, we’re not getting near enough shots off and that goes to our lack of offensive rebounding. Tonight was the best we’ve done, but you’ve got to do better. You can’t rebound a turnover. To have 14 turnovers is just beyond ridiculous, beyond careless. You have to eliminate empty trips.”

Cronin indicated that Andrews (coach’s decision) will play in Monday’s game against Marquette. Andrews was held out against Long Island last Wednesday due to a coach’s decision. The sophomore guard has averaged 11 points and 3.5 assists per game through two games. In addition, Berke Buyuktuncel has been cleared to play by the NCAA and the six-foot-nine freshman from Turkey could play as soon as Monday.

Through the season’s first three games, UCLA has limited the opposition to 50.7 points per game and 33.8 percent shooting from the field (and 24.6 percent shooting from 3-point range). Now in his fifth season as UCLA’s head coach, Cronin has helped the Bruins build a 78-4 record when limiting the opposition to 65 or fewer points in a game. UCLA’s defense has registered 24 steals (8.0 steals per game) and 13 blocked shots (4.3 blocks per game) in three games.

The Bruins will be playing in the Maui Invitational for the seventh time in school history, although this year’s tournament will take place in Honolulu. UCLA has returned to the tournament for the first time since November of 2019. The Bruins have compiled a 9-9 all-time record at the Maui Invitational, winning the title in 2006. As a head coach, this will mark Mick Cronin’s third time leading a team at the Maui Invitational (Cincinnati in 2009, UCLA in 2019).

Bet #25 UCLA to Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for NCAAB

Why Bet on Marquette Marquette Golden Eagles?

No. 4 Marquette (3-0) has been off since a 71-64 win at No. 23 Illinois last Tuesday. Senior All-American guard Tyler Kolek led the with way with 23 points and also chipped in six rebounds and four assists. He’s one of the best players in the country. Guard Kam Jones added 15 points.

The Golden Eagles led by as many as eight points, but saw the Illini start 6-of-9 from the floor in the second half and eventually take a 45-42 lead. Jones scored 12 of his 15 points after halftime, including critical baskets down the stretch. Marquette led 36-31 at the intermission, courtesy of Kolek’s 14-point first half. The Golden Eagles held Illinois to just 34.4 percent from the floor and offensively committed just one turnover.

Kolek also finished with four assists, moving into sixth place all-time (472) at Marquette and passing former standout and current radio broadcast analyst Tony Smith (469). Jones, meanwhile, has done a good job getting to the free throw line in the first three games, averaging nearly four attempts per night. In his first 67 career outings, Jones went to the line just 1.3 times per game.

Marquette is making its fourth appearance (2007, 2021, 2017, 2023) in the Maui Invitational and has posted a 6-3 overall record in its previous three trips, claiming a pair of wins on each occasion. The Golden Eagles advanced to the championship game in 2017, falling 77-73 to No. 13 Duke in the title matchup.

This isn’t Coach Shaka Smart’s first foray with the tournament. He led the Texas Longhorns to the Maui title over North Carolina in 2020 in yet another year that the tournament had to relocate, being played in Asheville, North Carolina due to COVID.

Smart’s team was picked by the media to win the Big East this season. Kolek was the 2022-23 Big East Player of the Year and chosen as the preseason favorite. Marquette’s first-place preseason selection is the school’s first since the 2013-14 campaign, which came following the program’s share of the Big East regular season title. MU’s preseason No. 5 ranking in the AP Top-25 was its highest since 1977-78.

Bet #4 Marquette to Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for NCAAB

Previous Betting News

A couple of bubble teams square off on Wednesday, Feb. 26, when Georgetown heads to Milwaukee to battle Marquette. The Hoyas sit on 12 losses. Another assures they end up at home for the NCAA Tournament. Marquette has 9 losses. They’ve dropped 2 in a row, though, which means like the Hoyas, the Eagles can’t afford another devastating “L”. Which team comes up big on Wednesday night? Check out college basketball odds, analysis, and a free pick for Georgetown vs Marquette!

Georgetown vs Marquette NCAAB Odds, Preview & Pick

When: Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 8:30 pm ET
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
TV: FS1
ATS Odds: Marquette -8 / Over/Under Total: 151 ½

Why Georgetown Hoyas are a good bet +8

Georgetown doesn’t play well on the road. That is, they don’t play well in away games unless it’s against Marquette. The road team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings. The Hoyas head into this matchup having lost 2 in a row SU and ATS. They’re due for a bounce back. Georgetown has 8 points to work with here. That could be enough points for a cover.

Why Marquette Golden Eagles are a good bet -8

The Golden Eagles know that they must step it up to ensure an NCAA Tournament berth. Behind the play of sharp-shooter Markus Howard, Marquette has bumped up their per game average to 77.2. They shoot 37.8% from three. That ranks in the Top 20 in college hoops. Although the Golden Eagles allow 70.5 points per, Georgetown doesn’t have the scorers to keep up. Marquette can win and covers on Wednesday night.

Georgetown vs Marquette Final NCAAB Betting Analysis:

This is an important Big East battle that could determine the fates of both teams. Georgetown cannot lose, which means they’ll take more chances in this game to get the victory. That could backfire on the Hoyas.

Marquette had beaten Xavier, Depaul, and Butler. They lost by a single point, 71-72, to Villanova. The loss to Nova sent the Golden Eagles reeling. Creighton and Providence both beat Marquette.

But the Golden Eagles face a team they beat 84-80 on Jan. 18. Don’t expect this game to be close like that one. The Hoyas allow 35.4% from three. On Wednesday, they face one of the top three-point shooting teams in the nation. Markus Howard should dominate. The Golden Eagles win and cover.

NCAAB Free Pick: Marquette -8

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When it comes to the NCAA basketball tournament, there are a lot of folks who will tell you that success in the tournament is all about landing in a good spot in the bracket. The dark horse teams that always seem to emerge once March Madness begins are very often those that snuck into the top 25 in the national rankings but who were not really given much of a look by fans or bettors during the regular season. It’s some time yet before we can start talking seriously about brackets and national championship winners, but we can start looking out for teams that might fit that dark horse bill.

While they are sitting outside of the top 25 for now, the Colorado Buffaloes might well find their way back in as the season progresses. They will be at home on Thursday night against the Prairie View A&M Panthers, and while winning that one is not going to help their stock rise by much, the manner in which they win might be important. The Buffaloes are in as a 20-point favorite for a game that should be a comfortable win.

Prairie View A&M vs Colorado 2019 College Basketball Odds & Prediction

Why bet on the Prairie View A&M Panthers?

The Prairie View A&M Panthers are coming into this game on the heels of a 2-game losing skid that has seen their season record drop to a very poor 3-8. That is not particularly good news for a team that is about to play its toughest matchup of the season. Making matters even worse is that the Panthers have just 1 win in 7 road games this season, so there is definitely not much to like when looking at them as a straight up pick.

Things get a little different when you look at what this team has done against the spread, though, as they are 7-2 ATS in lined games. Better yet, while they have been unable to pick up wins away from home, Prairie View is still a very healthy 6-1 ATS on the road.

Why bet on the Colorado Buffaloes?

The Colorado Buffaloes have spent some time in the top 25 this season, but they dropped out after losing back to back games. Their loss to Kansas was not entirely unexpected, but their 79-76 loss to Northern Iowa is one that probably still stings a little. Still, the Buffaloes did bounce back and get a 56-48 win over the Colorado State Rams last weekend.

Making matters worse was the fact that they dropped that game on home court, taking their record at home to 4-1 SU on the season, while their overall record now stands at 8-2. They have not been a fantastic bet against the spread to this point, going 4-5-1 ATS on the season and just 1-3-1 ATS in their own building.

Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Prairie View A&M vs Colorado

Given that the Buffaloes have won just 1 of their last 3 games and have not been great against the spread, I’m a little wary about playing them here. I have a feeling that the Panthers might do just enough to cover, which has been their M.O. this season.

Score: Prairie View A&M Panthers 52 – Colorado Buffaloes 69

Previous Betting News

Just two of the nation’s Top 10 leading scorers are in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. And they meet in the first round Thursday as Ja Morant of No. 12 Murray State takes on Markus Howard and No. 5 Marquette in West Region action from Hartford. The Golden Eagles are short NCAAB Betting favorites.

How to Bet Murray State vs Marquette March Madness Lines & Game Info

When: Thursday, 4:30 PM ET
Where: XL Center, Hartford
TV: TBS
Live Stream: March Madness Live
March Madness Lines: Marquette -3.5 (Total 149.5)

New Mexico State vs Auburn March Madness Odds / Live Stream / TV Channel, Date / Time & Preview

Why Bet on Murray State?

The Racers tied for the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title with Belmont and then won the conference tournament title over the Bruins, 77-65 (and Belmont is quite good as it proved in the First Four of the Big Dance on Tuesday).

Ja Morant was named the OVC Tournament MVP after he capped a two-day performance with 36 points scored on 13-of-25 shooting to go with seven rebounds and seven assists in the win over Belmont. Morant was joined on the OVC All-Tournament Team along with teammate Darnell Cowart. Morant was MSU’s 16th OVC Tournament MVP. He joins Popeye Jones (1990) and Lamont Sleets (1981) as the only sophomores for the Racers that have been honored with the award. MSU is now 71-37 all-time in the OVC Tournament and has won four games in a row and six of their last seven.

The Racers are on to their 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and their first in back-to-back season since they won three in a row from 1997-98. Those titles came under Coach Mark Gottfried and Coach Tevester Anderson teams.

Morant has been named first-team All-American is will be a Top 3 draft pick this summer. He’s also one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy, recognizing the most outstanding men’s college basketball player. Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga), Grant Williams (Tennessee) and Zion Williamson (Duke) joined Morant on the list.

Morant has 311 assists, which ranks 10th in NCAA single-season history and his 736 points are second all-time at MSU. He is averaging 24.6 ppg and 5.5 rpg and leading the nation in assists (10.3 apg) and that led to him being named the OVC Player of the Year. He is in line to become the first Division I basketball player to average 20 ppg and 10 apg and has already become the first Division I player in 20 years to record 40 points, 11 assists and five steals in a regulation game.

Morant is eighth nationally in scoring (24.6 ppg), fifth in double-doubles (19) and one of two players to have multiple triple-doubles this season. His 19 double-doubles are just three off the nation’s lead, and he is the only player in the top 20 nationally in double-doubles under 6’6″ tall. Morant has 14 games this year with 20-plus points and 10-plus assists; no other player nationally has three such games.

MSU has won three NCAA games: 1988 against NC State, 2010 against Vanderbilt & 2012 against Colorado State. Thursday will be the third all-time meeting between the Racers and Marquette, with both previous meetings also coming in the NCAA Tournament. Marquette won both of those meetings, picking up an 82-62 win in the first round in Carbondale in 1969 and a 62-53 win in the second round in 2012 in Louisville.

Why Bet on Marquette?

Marquette was on track to be the Big East regular-season champion and perhaps a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament but fell apart at the end and dropped five of its final six games including the Big East tournament. The Golden Eagles lost 81-79 to Seton Hall in the semifinals. Big East player of the year Markus Howard of Marquette came up short on a potential winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The All-American Howard scored 21 points but finished 1 for 15 from the field. He also went to the locker room with 2:24 left in the first half, favoring his left wrist. He started the second half, but the 90 percent free-throw shooter was 18 for 24 from the line for Marquette (24-9).

Howard, just 5-foot-11, averaged 25.0 points in all games this season. His 24.9 scoring mark in league play led the Big East. One of the nation’s top shooters, Howard led the league with 112 made 3-pointers and shot 41.6 percent from 3-point range. He ranked second in the league in free throw shooting, making 90.2 percent. In an overtime win at Creighton on Jan. 9, Howard broke his own Big East single-game scoring record with 53 points. He is a finalist for several national awards, including the Wooden Award and the Bob Cousy Award.

The Golden Eagles have shot the 10th-best percentage from beyond the arc this season among Division I teams, at nearly 40 percent. Five Marquette players have attempted more than 40 long balls and made more than 36 percent of those shots. It’s Marquette’s 33rd all-time NCAA trip. The Golden Eagles are playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign, when they earned the No. 10 seed in the East Region and were defeated in the first round by eventual Final Four participant South Carolina, 93-73, in Greenville, S.C.

Marquette owns an overall record of 41-33 in the event, highlighted by 16 trips to the Sweet 16 and a trio of Final Four appearances (1974, 1977 and 2003), including the 1977 National Championship under legendary head coach Al McGuire.

Expert March Madness Betting Prediction

Murray State 77 – Marquette 75

Previous Betting News

UCLA might be the No. 4 team in the country, easily the highest ranking for a Pac-12 team, but the Bruins are just third in their own conference. They look to avoid an upset when they visit Colorado and play in the altitude of Boulder on Thursday night. Let’s take a look at the college basketball betting prediction for the game.

UCLA at Colorado Odds, Betting Pick & TV Info

When: Thursday, Jan. 12, 11 PM ET
Where: Coors Events Center, Boulder
TV: Fox Sports 1
Opening NCAA Basketball Lines: UCLA favored by TBA

Why Bet On UCLA?

The Bruins (16-1, 3-1) are off an 89-75 win over Stanford on Sunday. The last time UCLA played Stanford, the Bruins were stuck on 15 victories — in late February of last year. They lost to Stanford for just the fourth time in the last 22 meetings, part of a five-game skid to end the proud program’s fourth losing season in the last 68 years.

UCLA needs to look no further than the 36 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists combined on Sunday for UCLA freshmen Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf to see how far the program has come in 10 months. UCLA had a double-digit lead less than five minutes into the game and a 23-point lead early in the second half. Bryce Alford had 11 of his 17 points in the first half, including a trio of three-pointers. The Cardinal shot 38 percent from the field and 29 percent from the 3-point line on the night.

“We had some growth,” UCLA head coach Steve Alford said. “It’s like I told them in the locker room, we are 16-1, and you can see an awful lot of growth ahead of us. We still have some things to work on and get better and that’s a positive. If we were 16-1 and can’t do things any better, we can plateau out. I still think the ceiling for this team is very high, and that’s exciting.”

The Bruins have opened their regular-season schedule with 16 wins in their first 17 games for the first time since 2007-08. UCLA’s 2007-08 team opened the year 16-1, while the Bruins’ 2006-07 squad began its season with 18 wins in its first 19 games. UCLA will play its first game at Colorado since the 2014-15 school year. Since Colorado joined the Pac-12 Conference prior to the 2011-12 season, UCLA has posted a 6-1 record against the Buffaloes, including a 2-1 mark against Colorado at the Coors Events Center.

Why Bet On Colorado?

The Buffaloes cut a 20-point second-half deficit down to five Saturday but could never completely close the gap and fell, 82-73, to No. 17 Arizona. The Buffs, who dropped their third straight to fall to 10-6 overall and 0-3 in Pac-12 play, ended up with more field goals (27-24), more 3-pointers (9-8) and more rebounds (38-32) than the hosts. But the Wildcats ended up with a 33-14 edge in free throw attempts and outscored the Buffs 26-10 from the stripe.

“I applaud our guys’ fight and effort,” Buffs head coach Tad Boyle said. “We cut it to five (but) we couldn’t get over the hump. The difference in the game was free throws. They could get to the free throw line, we couldn’t get to the free throw line.”

Xavier Johnson led the Buffs with 26 points and six rebounds, George King had a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double and Wesley Gordon added 16 points and nine rebounds. Now the Buffs need to replicate the effort and tenacity they showed in the second half at Arizona for an entire game.

Johnson, who returned to the lineup this year after missing last season rehabilitating an Achilles tendon tear, is one of two players Boyle named as Buffs who have “separated themselves a little bit from the pack in terms of their consistency and their production.” He had a season-high 26 points against Arizona, following up on a 13-point effort at ASU in a game that saw him play just 15 minutes after being ejected late in the first half. He’s shooting 50 percent from the field for the season (79-for- 158) and is averaging 14.7 points per game, second on the team.

It is the inside part of his game that may well prove to be what the Buffs need most as they continue their Pac-12 schedule. At 6-foot- 7, 225 pounds, Johnson has the ability to post up in the paint and the quickness to get by bigger, slower defenders.

UCLA at Colorado Betting Pick: UCLA Bruins

UCLA will avoid the upset in NCAA Basketball betting.

Previous Betting News

There will be a new No. 1 team in the country in Monday’s polls as top-ranked Villanova enters Saturday’s Big East game off its first loss of the season. Could the Wildcats actually lose again to Marquette? Nova will be a solid favorite on college basketball odds.

Marquette at Villanova Lines, Expert Pick & TV Info

When: Saturday, Jan. 7, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
TV: Fox Sports 1
Radio: Marqluette / Villanova
Opening NCAA Basketball Lines: Villanova favored by TBA

Why Bet On Marquette?

The Golden Eagles (10-4) come off a 69-66 loss at Seton Hall. Khadeen Carrington scored five of his 12 points on one extended possession in the final 30 seconds and Seton Hall pulled it out. Katin Reinhardt, who had five 3s and 15 points in the first half, scored on a backdoor layup for his only points of the second half, putting Marquette up 66-63 with 38 seconds left. After a timeout, Carrington made a driving layup and was fouled with 26.9 seconds remaining.

When Carrington missed the free throw, Ismael Sanogo outhustled the Warriors for the rebound and was fouled. Sanogo missed the front end of the 1-and- 1 but in a scramble, Carrington came up with the loose ball in the key and was fouled as he scored. His free throw made it 68-66 with 21.3 seconds to play. Sanogo then made a steal with 10.7 seconds left and Carrington was fouled at 9.5 — making just one free throw. However Marquette turned it over near midcourt and time ran out.

Marquette is 1-9 all-time against the top-ranked squad in the land, with the victory coming in the 2003 Elite Eight when the team downed Kentucky 83-69 to earn a trip to the Final Four in New Orleans.

Current staff member Travis Diener was the starting point guard on that team. Villanova defeated MU 89-79 on Feb. 27, 2016 in the most recent top-ranked outing. Guards Haanif Cheatham and Jajuan Johnson both had 19 points in the setback for the Golden Eagles, who shot over 50 percent from the field as a team. Marquette has lost eight straight vs. Villanova.

The Golden Eagles hosted top-ranked Cincinnati on Jan. 23, 2000 in the only game against the highest- rated squad at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Golden Eagles are 116-187 all-time versus programs in the top-25 at the time of the matchup, including a 43-115 mark against top-10 squads.

Why Bet On Villanova?

The Wildcats’ 20-game winning streak ended in Wednesday’s 66-58 loss at No. 18 Butler. Star Josh Hart was 3 of 11 from the field and 1 of 5 on 3-pointers. He wasn’t the only one having a rough night. Kris Jenkins, the championship game hero, had 11 points. Villanova shot a season-low 37.3 percent from the field and was just 6 of 26 from beyond the arc. Jalen Brunson had 23 points for Villanova, outscored 25-6 in points off the bench.

The Bulldogs held Villanova (14-1), who had been averaging 1.20 points per possession on the season, to just 0.97 per trip, and became the first team to hold the defending national champs to under a point per possession since Kansas in the Elite Eight last year.

After losing 69-67 to Seton Hall in the Big East championship game, Villanova won six straight in the NCAA Tournament to capture its second national title. Then the Wildcats won their first 14 games this season for the longest winning streak in school history.

Even with that lousy game, Hart is the leader for the National Player of the Year Award. Hart considered turning pro last year, but college basketball fans are glad he returned for his senior season. He’s the leading scorer (19.8 points per game) and leading rebounder (6.9 per game) for the defending national champs.

Villanova holds a 19-9 advantage over Marquette in an all-time series that dates back to 1960, but over half of the matchups (20) have come since the Golden Eagles joined the Big East Conference in 2005-06. Along with regular season and tournament matchups in league play, the two teams also squared off in the 1963 National Invitation Tournament and the 1980 NCAA Championship. Marquette downed the Wildcats 66-58 in the NIT, but fell 77-59 in the opening round of the NCAA’s in Providence, R.I. MU’s last win over the Wildcats was an 82-78 decision on Jan. 28, 2012 in the Wells Fargo Center.

Marquette at Villanova Expert Pick: Villanova Wildcats

Villanova will play angry and cover this NCAA betting spread.

Previous Betting News

The Villanova Wildcats will likely lose their No. 1 national ranking after losing to conference rival and nationally-ranked No. 5 Xavier on Wednesday night, but all that means in my opinion is that college hoops betting buffs can expect the Wildcats to pound the snot out of Marquette when thy meet on Saturday at the Bradley Center. Here’s why.

How To Bet The Villanova Wildcats vs. Marquette Golden Eagles NCAAB Odds & TV Info

When: February 27, 2:00 PM
Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TV: FOX
Radio: 94WIP
TV Stream: FoxSportsGo
NCAAB Odds: TBA

Why Bet The Villanova Wildcats

Villanova had its seven-game winning streak snapped in their humbling 90-83 loss against Xavier on Wednesday while failing to cover the spread as a 1.5-point road favorite. “I think this is one of best games they’ve played this year,” coach Jay Wright said. They just played smart. They were a little bit better in each area of the game.”

The Wildcats gave up a season-high 90 points and saw Kris Jenkins foul out with almost nine minutes remaining after scoring a team-high 22 points. The good news is for Wildcats fans and betting backers is that Villanova has won and covered the spread in three of its last four road games and ranks 12th in the nation in defense (62.5 ppg).

Why Bet The Marquette Golden Eagles

Marquette has won two straight and three of their last four games including a hard-fought 66-61 victory over Creighton on Wednesday night. Henry Ellenson scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Golden Eagles to victory while Jajuan Johnson added 15 points and nine rebounds and Duane Wilson, 14 points.

Despite their recent winning ways, Marquette is just 3-3 SU over its last six games and faces an uphill battle in order to beat what will surely be a ticked-off Villanova squad in this contest. The Golden Eagles average 75.1 points per game while allowing 71.2 points per game defensively.

Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction

Villanova has won eight of its last nine road games and pounded Marquette 83-68 at home earlier this season despite failing to cover the spread as an 18-point home fave. The Wildcats are also 8-2 SU and 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings against the Golden Eagles while Marquette has gone 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games.

The bottom line for this matchup is that Villanova has too much talent, not to mention a huge chip on their collective shoulders after losing to Xavier. Villanova wins going away!

My final score prediction: Villanova 81 Marquette 73

Previous Betting News

Anyone who has watched the NCAA basketball tournament over the years knows that fortunes can change in a matter of moments, with buzzer beaters taking a team from out of the tournament to staying alive to fight another day. The Connecticut Huskies have had some practice with that before the Tournament even begins, as they avoided heading to the NIT by the very barest of margins. The Huskies head into the Tournament in the South region, where they find themselves ranked in the #9 spot, right behind their first round opponents, the Colorado Buffaloes. It is the 8 versus 9 game that is generally always the toughest to handicap, as there is often very little separating the two teams involved. It is often some last second dramatics that throw up a winner in these games, which is all part of the magic of March Madness. We know that there are a lot of games to wager on in the tournament, but we believe this is one you should have a real look at if you want to find some March Madness betting value.

How To Bet The Colorado Vs UConn R64 March Madness Odds, TV & Game Info

What: Connecticut Huskies (24-10) at Colorado Buffaloes (22-11)
When: Thursday, March 17, 2016
Start Time: 1:30 PM ET
Where: Des Moines, Iowa
Stadium: Wells Fargo Arena
Spread: UConn -3.5
Moneyline: UConn -188
Game Total: 134.5
Watch: TNT

Why bet on the Colorado Buffaloes

The Buffaloes (22-11, 10-8) did very well to come out of what was a very competitive Pac 12 Conference this year. They had a number of big wins over the course of the regular season, and gave Arizona all that that they could handle in the Conference playoffs. If Colorado are to move on to the round of 32, they are going to have to get their rebounding game into high gear, as that is an area where the Huskies have struggled all season long. The Buffaloes do not have a great history in the Tournament, and you have to go all the way back to 2012 to find the last time they won a game in the big dance. Colorado are averaging 76.0 PPG, and are giving up 70.7 PPG.

Why bet on the Connecticut Huskies

It’s not really a major surprise to see UConn (23-10, 11-7) in the Tournament once again, but how they got there is already the stuff of legend. They had to win the American Conference Championship in order to get in, but they looked dead and buried against Cincinnati before Jalen Adams sunk a stunning 3-pointer to save the season. The Huskies went on to beat the Bearcats in a game for the ages, and you have to think that some of the momentum gained there is going to carry over into this game. The Huskies have been a little Jekyll and Hyde this season, but when they are on their game, they are incredibly tough to beat. UConn are averaging 73.5 PPG, and are giving up 63.2 PPG.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

You can talk about momentum and playoff experience when discussing how this game is going to go, but I think it’s going to come down to who wins the defensive battle. If that is indeed how it goes, then my money is on Connecticut to advance.

Colorado Buffaloes 69 Connecticut Huskies 73