Round 64: Marquette vs Western Kentucky Odds and Pick for 2024 March Madness

 

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Big Ten squad Michigan State got by USC 72-62 in their first NCAA Tournament game. On Sunday, Sparty takes on the East Region’s 2-seed, the Marquette Golden Eagles. Will Michigan State continue their dream run? Or will Marquette prevail and head to the Sweet 16? Check out odds, analysis, and a free pick for Michigan State versus Marquette.

We will now preview the game plus our betting prediction for this Round of 64 contest. Keep reading for college basketball betting odds, analysis, and a free pick for Marquette vs Michigan State.

2023 March Madness Round of 64 Game
No. 7 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. No. 2 Michigan State Spartans Betting Preview

Marquette of Big East meets Michigan State of Big Ten in NCAA Tourney Second Round
ATS Odds: Marquette -2.5
Moneyline Odds: Michigan State +117 / Marquette -142
Over/Under Odds: 141 -110
When: Sunday, March 19 at 5:15 pm ET
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
TV / Streaming: CBS/Paramount+

Why Bet on No. 2 Michigan State versus No. 7 Marquette?

The Spartans faced a decent USC team in their first tournament game. Sparty didn’t blink, holding the Trojans to 62 points.

Also, Michigan State shot 48% from the field. MSU shot just 36% from three. So if the Spartans shoot their 40% average from three on Sunday, they should challenge Marquette for the win.

Why Bet on No. 7 Marquette versus No. 2 Michigan State?

Marquette started their NCAA Tournament run the way they ended their Big East Tournament run, winning straight up and covering the spread. The Golden Eagles’ 78-61 destruction of Vermont should surprise nobody.

Marquette has covered in their last 3, including dusting Xavier 65-51 in the Big East Tournament Final. The Golden Eagles are playing lights out right now and the spread isn’t too difficult to overcome.

Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Michigan State Spartans Betting Odds and Prediction

This is a tough game for favored Marquette. Michigan State performed admirably in the win against USC. But in hindsight, the Trojans were lucky to attract a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

UCLA looked awesome in their first round victory. Arizona, the Pac-12 Tournament winner, fell to Princeton.

MSU played well against a much worse team. Marquette went about their business and blew out Vermont. The Spartans don’t often put together back-to-back excellent performances.

So we should consider that Sparty could bounce in this. Also, Marquette is one of the best teams in the nation. The Golden Eagles win and cover.

March Madness Pick: Marquette -2.5 | Bet Marquette vs. Michigan State Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

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MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

 

 

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It’s a great Wednesday around college basketball and two games clearly stand out from the rest: No. 1 Alabama at No. 10 Tennessee in the SEC and No. 16 Xavier at No. 11 Marquette in the Big East. Let’s break each down on the NCAAB odds.

Top NCAA Basketball Betting Picks For February 15: Bet Tennessee, Xavier In Top 25 Matchups

No. 1 Alabama at No. 10 Tennessee (-2.5)

When: Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Where: Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville

Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN 2

SEC game tips at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Crimson Tide reached No. 1 in the AP Poll on Monday for the first time since the 2002-03 season and the top of the USA Today poll for the first time ever yet find themselves as underdogs in their first game as such at an excellent Tennessee team.

Two of the best defenses in the nation will square off as both defenses rank as the top-two in holding their opponents to the lowest effective field goal percentage this season (No. 1 Tennessee, 40.7 percent and No. 2 Alabama, 41.1 percent). During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in scoring defense (58.6 ppg), free-throw percentage (.762), assists per game (16.1) and assist/turnover ratio (1.41).

The Tide are led by maybe the nation’s top freshman in Brandon Miller. He has won SEC Freshman of the Week for the sixth time this season, tying the program record set by James “Hollywood” Robinson in 1991. Miller leads the SEC in points per game (18.8). He is the only player in Division I to score 470 points, record 200 rebounds and make 75 three-pointers this season.

The Tide come off a 77-69 win at rival Auburn on Saturday to remain undefeated in SEC play at 12-0 which is just behind the 1955-56 program-best 14-0 record in league play. Additionally, the Crimson Tide are 22-3 on the season which matches the 1975-76 team for the best record in school history after 25 games played.

The Tide are one of three teams and the only Power 5 team left this season with an unbeaten record in conference play (Oral Roberts in the Summit and Eastern Washington in the Big Sky). Alabama has won 10 SEC games by double digits, which is the second-most in program history (The 1955-56 team won 11 SEC games by double-digits.) Alabama is 14-12 against AP Top 25 teams during Nate Oats’ tenure. Tide center Charles Bediako’s status is uncertain for Wednesday’s game because of a minor knee injury. He is averaging 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds while leading the team with 41 blocked shots.

Tennessee (19-6, 8-4 SEC) is coming off a second consecutive one-point loss, as the Vols fell to Missouri at the buzzer Saturday, 86-85. Wednesday marks just the third Top-10 matchup in the 36-year history of Thompson-Boling Arena and second this season. On Jan. 28, No. 4 Tennessee defeated No. 10 Texas, 82-71, while on March 2, 2019, No. 7 Tennessee defeated No. 4 Kentucky, 71-52.

Alabama is the eighth different program to face the Vols while ranked No. 1, joining Kentucky, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio State, Memphis, Kansas and Gonzaga. The Vols have won five straight home games vs. AP top-10 teams. Tennessee has five all-time wins over teams ranked No. 1 in the AP poll.

Tennessee trails the all-time series with Alabama, 70-82, dating to 1914. This is one of only two SEC series in which UT does not hold the advantage.

Big East game at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network with both battling for the conference title. Xavier looks for the season sweep as it beat Marquette 80-76 on Jan. 15. The game featured seven ties and 10 lead changes. With the game tied at 72-72, the Musketeers finished the game on an 8-4 run. Xavier went 1-for-1 from the floor and 6-for-6 from the foul line during the run, highlighted by six points from Souley Boum. He and Jack Nunge led Xavier with 16 points each. Boum added six rebounds and five assists. Nunge pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

Xavier scored nine more second-chance points (17-8) than the Golden Eagles. Both teams scored 13 bench points. Marquette held an 11-7 advantage in point off turnovers and scored two more points in the paint (42-40).

Xavier leads the Big East in four major offensive categories: first in the nation in assists per game at 20.6 apg., fourth in the nation in overall field goal percentage (.500), second in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.401) and ninth in the nation in scoring offense at 83.2 ppg. XU is second in the Big East and eighth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.59.

Boum, XU’s leading scorer at 16.1 ppg. (tied for fifth in the Big East), sixth among active career scorers in NCAA Division I with 2,255 points. Boum, who leads XU and is fourth in the Big East in assists at 4.9 apg., leads XU and is third in the BIG EAST (26th in the nation) in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.73-to-1.0.

Picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches poll and without a player on the all-conference roster, MU (12-3) is currently in sole possession of first place in the Big East. Marquette’s last regular-season league title came in 2012-13 (shared with Louisville and Georgetown) and the team also claimed the Great Midwest Conference championship in 1993-94 and the Conference USA crown in 2002-03.

Guard Tyler Kolek currently leads the league and is second in the nation in assists per game (7.7). He is just the fourth player in Marquette’s history to dish out 200 assists in a season (see below) and has already surpassed his season total from 2021-22 (188). In the last five games, Kolek leads the team with 17.6 points per contest and has combined to shoot 51.7 percent (31-of-60) from the floor overall and 10-of-20 (50.0 percent) from behind the 3-point line. He has also averaged 7.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds per outing.

The Golden Eagles own a 55-27 overall lead against Xavier.

Expert Picks

Tennessee and Xavier ATS

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MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

 

 

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Fifth-ranked Villanova is in control of its destiny to win the Big East regular-season title, but the Wildcats also have designs on a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They will be solid home favorites on the NCAAB odds for Wednesday’s game vs. Marquette – which wouldn’t make the NCAA tourney as things stand.

How to Bet Marquette at Villanova NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 9 PM ET
Where: Finneran Pavilion
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: Fox Sports Go
Radio:com
Opening NCAAB Lines: TBA (Villanova will be favored)

Last Meeting

On Dec. 23, Marquette hosted Villanova and was spanked 85-68. Marquette was seeking to beat a top-10 team for the third time this season. The Golden Eagles had beaten then-No. 4 Wisconsin 67-65 on Dec. 4 and topped then-No. 9 Creighton 89-84 on Dec. 14. Villanova committed just four turnovers while forcing 17, leading to an 18-3 discrepancy in points off turnovers.

“They’re the most skilled team we’ve played,” Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski said. “All five of their guys that they start and the guys they bring off the bench, they’re basketball players — they’re position-less basketball players and they have the ability to pass, handle and shoot. And they make really good decisions. They take care of the ball, and I think it all starts with Gillespie, his veteran leadership. His poise is exceptional.”

Why Bet on Marquette? | 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

Marquette (9-10) lost at home to No. 15 Creighton on Saturday, 71-68. The Golden Eagles trailed by 12 in the second half but rallied as D.J. Carton sank two 3-pointers in the final minute. Carton’s final 3 cut Creighton’s lead to 70-68 with 35.9 seconds remaining.

Bluejays guard Marcus Zegarowski made one free throw but missed his second with 23.7 seconds left, giving Marquette one last chance. Carton couldn’t get open for a tying 3 as Shereef Mitchell guarded him closely. Koby McEwen missed a contested 3-point attempt in the closing seconds for the Golden Eagles.

Carton scored 16 points, Jamal Cain had 14 and Theo John added 10 for Marquette. Justin Lewis returned to action after missing two games with a leg injury, but went scoreless in eight minutes. Lewis entered averaging 8.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 22.3 minutes per game.

For the year, Carton is contributing 4.7 points per game in the first half, attempting an average of just 4.0 shots per contest prior to intermission. Over the course of the final 20 minutes, however, he leads the roster with an average of 7.7 points per outing on an average of 5.6 shots per contest. He leads the team in scoring at 12.7 points per game.

With the move of the Feb. 20 home contest against St. John’s to Jan. 31, Marquette will now open a five-game road trip at Villanova Wednesday. The Golden Eagles will go an entire month between home games, not returning to Fiserv Forum until March 6 against Xavier on Senior Day.

Marquette hasn’t played five straight on the road since the 1980-81 campaign and the team went 3-2 in those outings. Since the program began league affiliation in 1989-90, the team has never played five-consecutive games outside of Milwaukee in conference action.

Why Bet on Villanova? | 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

Villanova (12-2) had been ranked third in the AP Top 25 but lost early last week at St. John’s 70-59 and then rebounded to beat visiting Georgetown 84-74 on Sunday. Jermaine Samuels had a career-high 32 points vs. Georgetown. After falling behind 67-66, the Wildcats outscored the Hoyas 18-8 over the final 5:46 to claim the win. Though they were 13.5-point favorites, the Wildcats never led by more than 10 in the matchup.

“That was a really tough Big East game against a Georgetown team that is playing really well,” stated Villanova head coach Jay Wright. “They are really well-coached, so intelligent offensively and long and physical defensively. So that was a good victory for us.”

Samuels was coming off a subpar game at St. John’s, which dealt the Wildcats their first Big East loss of the season. He had just two points on 1-of-6 shooting.

“He definitely came out with a fierce focus (Sunday), and not just aggressiveness but intelligence,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “He drove the ball well. He shot the ball well, got our offense started, hitting people, getting other people shots. In the first half he just carried us.”

Villanova finished the day with 21 assists on 26 made field goal and drained 17-of-18 at the free throw line. On Monday, Samuels was tabbed as the Philadelphia Big Five Player of the Week and named to the Big East Honor Roll. Three others joined Samuels in double figures. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Collin Gillespie and Justin Moore hit double digits, scoring 14, 12 and 10 respectively.

Villanova holds a 26-12 advantage over Marquette in an all-time series that dates back to 1960. The Wildcats have been ranked in the top-15 in 16 of the last 17 meetings against Marquette, including four matchups as the top-ranked team in the land.

Expert College Basketball Prediction

Villanova 75, Marquette 66

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MyBookie Odds for the Games

 

 

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The only game featuring a pair of ranked teams around the nation on Tuesday is from the Big East as No. 15 Creighton visits No. 19 Marquette. The Golden Eagles are short favorites on the Mybookie NCAAB odds. Let’s see how the College Basketball betting odds will be for the Creighton vs Marquette.

Creighton vs Marquette 2020 College Basketball Betting Lines & Game Preview

When: Tuesday, 8:30 PM ET
Where: Fiserv Forum
TV: Fox Sports 1
Opening NCAAB Lines: Marquette -3.5 (total 153.5)

Creighton vs Marquette Season Series

Creighton leads 1-0, beating Marquette 92-75 on New Year’s Day. Mitch Ballock hit five 3-pointers and scored 24 points, and Ty-Shon Alexander added 21 points and a career-high six steals for the Bluejays. Damien Jefferson had 17 points and Marcus Zegarowski added 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Brendan Bailey, Markus Howard and Sacar Anim scored 18 points apiece for the Golden Eagles, whose five-game win streak came to end. Bailey also had 11 rebounds for his first career double-double. Creighton had 10 steals on Marquette’s 16 turnovers while only committing nine turnovers.

Marquette leads the all-time series 55-34.

Why Bet on Creighton?

Creighton (20-6, 9-4 Big East) won its third in a row Saturday, trashing DePaul 93-64. Leading 42-28 at the half, the Jays delivered a knockout burst with 23 of the first 28 points in the second half. Creighton won its 12th straight in the series and has beaten DePaul in 15 of 16 meetings since joining the Big East. All but one of those Creighton wins have been by double digits.

Creighton tied the school record with 18 steals and had season highs with 14 3-pointers and 25 assists on 33 field goals. Ty-Shon Alexander led all scorers with 24 points to equal a season-high, while four other Bluejays posted double-digits. Creighton shot 57.9 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range in 26 attempts. CU also had a season-high 25 assists in 33 field goals.

Alexander’s 24 points moved him into 29th in Creighton history with 1,152 career points, passing Khyri Thomas (1,140) and tying him with Dane Watts. Creighton now has 2,035 points this season, its 14th straight season with 2,000 or more points. The Jays improved to 59-4 under Greg McDermott when scoring 90 points or more.

The Bluejays are 7-1 in their last eight games and are one game behind first-place Seton Hall in the conference race. They’ve reached 20 wins for the 20th time in 22 years. Creighton averages 78.3 points per game and holds foes to 69.7 points per contest. CU shoots 37.8 percent from three-point range while draining 9.4 treys per outing and also shooting 47.0 percent from the field and 73.7 percent at the line.

Why Bet on Marquette?

The Golden Eagles (17-7, 7-5 Big East) had a three-game winning streak end last Wednesday in a 72-71 loss at ranked Villanova. Marquette had trimmed Villanova’s 18-point second-half lead to five points with 3:58 left before Villanova scored the next five, capped by Collin Gillespie’s 3, to take a 10-point lead and get some needed breathing room.

Markus Howard scored 24 points for Marquette, which had won three straight and six of seven. Howard, the country’s leading scorer who entered averaging 27.4 points per game, became the Big East’s all-time leading scorer in league games with 1,408 points. Howard passed Syracuse’s Lawrence Moten (1,405 points) for the scoring record in Big East play.

One of just five players in Big East history to score over 1,000 league points in less than three seasons, Howard is also in possession of 218 career 3-pointers in Big East play, breaking the previous mark of 200 set by Seton Hall’s Jeremy Hazell. Howard has been Big East Player of the Week 12 times in his career. That broke the previous record of 11 career honors by both Troy Murphy (Notre Dame) and Kerry Kittles (Villanova).

Howard leads the nation in scoring with 27.3 points per game. He also leads the Big East and is tied for fourth nationally with 94 three-pointers made, all while connecting at a 39.7 percent clip from deep.

The Golden Eagles average 77.9 points per game and yield 69.8 per contest. MU makes 10.2 three-pointers a game while connecting at a 38.8 percent clip (ninth nationally), and is also +4.1 on the glass per game.

Tuesday’s game wraps up a run of three straight nationally ranked opponents for the Golden Eagles and also begins a run of 3-of-4 home games.

Creighton vs Marquette Expert Prediction

Marquette 79, Creighton 77

 

 

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Butler heads to Milwaukee on Wednesday to battle #10 Marquette in desperation mode. The Bulldogs have played well lately, but they need a signature win to stamp their ticket to the Big Dance. Will Butler get it done on Wednesday, or will Marquette solidify their position as the top team in the Big East? And before you go any further, check out the latest March Madness lines in our online sportsbook.

Butler vs Marquette NCAAB Betting Odds, Preview & Pick

When: Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 8:00 pm ET
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
TV: CBSSN
Radio: Butler / Marquette
Live Stream: CBSSports.com
ATS Odds: Marquette -6 (110)
Over/Under Total Odds: 145

Why Butler Bulldogs are a good bet ATS?

After losing 3 in a row, Butler appears back on track. The Bulldogs have won 3-of-4 straight up. They look like one of the better teams in the conference after the run. The lone loss, 73-77 to St. John’s, happened on the road and in overtime.

Butler’s surging. They should play well enough to at least cover the spread on Wednesday even if they don’t play well enough to win straight up. They’re a tough underdog to look past backing on Feb. 20.

Why #10 Marquette Golden Eagles a good bet ATS?

Marquette has been the best team in the Big East pretty much from day 1. The Golden Eagles have a great 21-4 straight up record. Against the spread, they’ve been close to unbeatable at home, going 11-5 ATS.

They’ve won 10-of-11 on the moneyline. The only loss happened to St. John’s, 69-70, on Feb. 5. Marquette beat Villanova 66-65 on Feb. 9, proving that they’re still the top team in the conference. They should easily handle the Butler Bulldogs on Wednesday.

Butler vs Marquette Final NCAAB Analysis

In the first match between these two, Marquette dominated with a stunning 76-58 victory. The reason the Golden Eagles won that game was because of the reason they win most of their games, Markus Howard.

One of the best players in the nation, Howard dominated the Bulldogs with 32 points and 5 rebounds. The Golden Eagles guard led an offensive attack that shot 56.9% from the field and 50% from three.

Although Butler has been playing much better, it’s hard to see them stepping it up against Marquette, not with Howard healthy and shooting in his own building. The Golden Eagles should win and easily cover the spread.

NCAAB Betting Pick: Marquette ATS

 

 

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Every year, around this time, we get the same old discussions about who should be in the college basketball tournament and who should be left out. We still have a little time to wait before all of the teams who are in are announced, which means several programs are sitting on the bubble awaiting their fate. The good news for some of these teams is that they still have the ability to play themselves in with a strong finish to the regular season. One of the teams sitting firmly on the bubble are the Marquette Golden Eagles, but they are also one of the teams with a better shot than most, especially when you consider who they have played and how they have performed against them this season. They can really boost their chances of a tournament spot with a win at home versus Creighton this weekend, so this is definitely going to be a game you are going to want to keep an eye on. Find the latest NCAA basketball point spreads here.

Creighton vs Marquette Free Pick, Odds & TV Info

When: Saturday, March 4 at 2:30 PM EST
Where: BMO Bradley Harris Center, Milwaukee
TV: FS1
Live Stream: FOX Sports GO
NCAAB Odds: TBA

Why bet on the Creighton Bluejays

The Creighton Bluejays (23-7, 10-7) can relax a little this weekend, safe in the knowledge that they will almost certainly be a part of March Madness. They may have a little bit of revenge on their minds, though, as they will want to get back at Marquette for the 102-94 loss they handed them earlier this season. One thing that certainly plays in their favor is how good they have been on the road this season, going 7-3 in games away from home. They have also been a very solid bet on the road against the spread, putting together a 7-3 ATS record in those games.

Why bet on the Marquette Golden Eagles

The fact that Marquette (18-11, 9-8) has more to play for than their opponents makes them a good bet here. Marquette came into this week needing wins in their final two games to keep their tournament hopes alive, and they did the first part by getting a 95-84 win over Xavier earlier in the week. It will all depend on their ability to handle the pressure of the situation that will dictate what they do in this one, but the fact that they are playing on home court certainly helps. The Golden Eagles have put together an impressive 13-3 home record this season and are always tough to beat in their own building. They are also 9-7 ATS at home, so pay attention to the spread in this one, especially if they come in as the underdog.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

It really is all to play for when talking about Marquette in this game. Even with a loss, I still believe that their body of work will get them in, but I don’t expect them to leave anything to chance.

Creighton Bluejays 76 Marquette Golden Eagles 78

 

 

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Navigating the waters of the Big East Conference has been tough this season, as there are 4 or 5 teams who can make a claim to being among the best teams in the country. Providence and Marquette are both on the slide right now, and both are desperate for a win. That makes their match-up on Wednesday all the more interesting. Providence will head into the BMO Bradley Harris Center in Milwaukee looking for the win. Check back into our online sportsbook NCAAB betting page on Wednesday morning to get the latest updated odds.

How to bet Providence Friars Vs Marquette Golden Eagles

When: Wednesday, February 10, 7PM EST
Where: BMO Bradley Harris Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TV: CBSSN

Handicapping the Big East this season has been difficult for NCAA basketball bettors, as there is a little bit of a dog eat dog situation taking place there. These are another pair of teams that are pretty evenly matched, which is something we are likely to see when the odds are released.

Why bet on the Providence Friars

The wheels have come off in a pretty big way for Providence (18-6, 6-5) in the past couple of weeks, and they will be coming into this one having lost 3 of their last 4 games. In fairness to Providence, 2 of those losses have come at the hands of top 10 ranked teams. The Friars still find themselves ranked in the top 20 in spite of those losses, and that is because they have had a number of big wins against very good ranked opponents this season. This is not a losing run that you would expect them to extend, as they have looked very good for the vast majority of the season so far. The Providence Friars are averaging 73.3 PPG, and are giving up 68.1 PPG.

Why bet on the Marquette Golden Eagles

The run of for that Marquette (15-9, 4-7) are on right now is eerily similar to that of Providence, as the Golden Eagles will be coming into this game having lost their last two. The one advantage that they hold here is that they already have a win over the Friars this season, with that one being a 65-64 win on the road back at the start of the year. Beating the same team twice in the same season in college ball is tough, but Marquette have to feel as though they have the edge in this one, especially with it taking place on home court. That said, the Golden Eagles have lost their last 2 home games versus ranked opponents, so this one is not a given. Marquette are averaging 75.3 PPG, and are giving up 71.5 PPG.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

Neither of these two teams wants to see their losing streak extended to three games, so I expect things might be a little nervy at the start of this game. It should be tight all the way through, and I like Providence to be just a little too good in the end.

Providence Friars 71 Marquette Golden Eagles 69

 

 

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The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will look to take down the streaking 22nd-ranked Louisville Cardinals when they square off on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 11:00 AM ET, live from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Now, let’s find out if the Hilltoppers can pull off the NCAA Basketball odds upset!

How To Bet The Hilltoppers vs Cardinals NCAA Basketball Betting Match Up

Where: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky When: Saturday, Dec. 19 at 11:00 AM ET NCAAB Odds: TBA

Why Bet The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky (4-4 SU, 2-4 ATS) has won two straight and three of their last five including their 79-70 win over Alabama A&M on Wednesday night. The Hilltoppers got 18 points off the bench from Chris Harrison-Docks and 17 points from Nigel Snipes en route to the solid victory.

Western Kentucky has now won back-to-back games for the first time this season while bagging their last six games at home to improve to a blistering 23-4 at E.A. Diddle Arena in their last 27 games. The Hilltoppers average 79.9 points per game and allow 79.2 points per contest defensively.

Why Bet The Louisville Cardinals

Louisville (6-1 SU, 3-0 ATS) has won three straight games and spanked Kennesaw State 94-57 on Wednesday in a contest that was completely over by halftime. Louisville got a team-high 18 points from Damion Lee and the Cardinals’ shot a blistering 59 percent from the field while cruising to victory.

“It is easy to score right now because we are much bigger than some of these teams, but the good thing is we started throwing the ball inside,” Louisville head coach Rick Pitino said. “Our post players are getting a lot of touches and that is what we want.”

My Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction

Louisville is a perfect 7-0 at home and will blow Western Kentucky out of the water in this mismatch of a matchup. The Cardinals average a stellar 86.0 points per game while limiting their opponents to just 55.7 points per contest defensively and Western Kentucky simply doesn’t have the kind of talent they need in order to compete with an elite team like the Cardinals.

Western Kentucky is 1-5 SU on the road this season and has lost five straight road games against Louisville. If the spread isn’t too high for this matchup when it is released, I say the Louisville Cardinals are the easy pick!

My final score prediction: Louisville 88 Western Kentucky 70