Marquette (20-6) at Villanova (15-12)
- When: Feb 21 2025, 7:00 PM
- Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
Game Preview
Marquette Favored by 2.0 | Total Set at 142.5
Marquette Golden Eagles: Regaining Momentum
After a rough start to February, No. 16 Marquette is starting to turn things around as they travel to Villanova for a key Big East matchup. The Golden Eagles (20-6, 11-4 Big East) are firmly in the NCAA Tournament conversation, but their standing looked shaky following three straight losses to UConn, St. John’s, and Creighton. However, they have bounced back convincingly, notching double-digit wins over DePaul and Seton Hall.
In their 80-56 win over Seton Hall, Marquette shot 53.6% from the field and 40.7% from three, while also dominating the rebounding battle 37-22. The depth of this team was on full display as bench players combined for 36 points and 18 rebounds.
Coach Shaka Smart praised the energy of his reserves, saying, “I thought the guys that came off the bench had a good spirit about them.”
Marquette’s defense also held Seton Hall to 36.8% shooting and locked down their top scorer, Isaiah Coleman, into a 5-of-19 shooting night. However, it’s worth noting that their recent wins came against two of the worst teams in the Big East standings.
Now, the real test begins. Smart knows Villanova will present a much bigger challenge, saying, “Obviously, the competition goes up for us on Friday.”
Villanova Wildcats: Struggling to Close Games
Villanova (15-12, 8-8 Big East) has been inconsistent, and their season-defining win over then-No. 9 St. John’s (73-71) last week was quickly overshadowed by back-to-back losses to Providence and UConn.
The most concerning loss came against UConn, where Villanova blew a 14-point lead with under 12 minutes left, ultimately falling 60-53 as the Huskies closed the game on a 27-6 run. Coach Kyle Neptune admitted that UConn’s defensive adjustments overwhelmed them, stating, “They came after us… they pressed, which made it hard for us to get the ball where we wanted.”
Villanova will need better efficiency from its top scorers if they want to snap an eight-game losing streak against Marquette. Eric Dixon, averaging 22.9 points per game, struggled again against UConn, shooting just 3-of-13. In fact, he has shot below 40% in five of his last six games.
Wooga Poplar led Villanova with 19 points, but he needed 21 shots to get there (7-of-21 FG). The Wildcats also allowed Marquette to dominate in their first meeting, losing 87-74 on Jan. 24, as Stevie Mitchell (21 points), Chase Ross (18), and Kam Jones (16) all thrived.
Betting Trends & Predictions
Marquette is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against Villanova.
The Wildcats are just 3-5 ATS in their last 8 home games.
Marquette has won four of its last five road games outright.
The Under is 6-2 in Villanova’s last eight home games.
Marquette has found its form and seems to be peaking at the right time. Villanova, on the other hand, is struggling to close out games and find consistency on offense. Given Dixon’s shooting struggles, Marquette’s edge in depth, and their history of success against Villanova, the Golden Eagles should pull away late and secure a win on the road.
Best Bets:
Marquette -2.0 (The Golden Eagles are the better team right now, and Villanova is struggling in crunch time.)
Under 142.5 (Both teams have played solid defense recently, and Villanova’s offensive inconsistencies could keep scoring lower than expected.)
Marquette 2H -1.0 (The Golden Eagles have been a strong second-half team, while Villanova has struggled to maintain leads.)
Expect Marquette to take control late, extend Villanova’s losing streak in the series, and cover the spread in what should be a tight, competitive game early on.
- NCAAB Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
