No. 14 Buffalo looks to remain perfect vs No. 20 Marquette

The No. 14 Buffalo Bulls remain one of just eight teams that are undefeated this season and they look to stay unbeaten as they visit the No. 20 Marquette Golden Eagles at the Fiserv Forum. This is the second in a four-game road swing for Buffalo, while Marquette is contesting the penultimate game of its seven-game homestand. Despite being the team with a zero at the end of its record, the Bulls are a 2.5-point underdog with the total Sportsbook at 153 points.

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Buffalo vs Marquette Game Center

Can the Bulls keep the streak alive?

Buffalo has grabbed this season by the horns in the early stages, storming out of the gate to an 11-0 record, its best start since the 1929-30 season when it had a perfect 15-0 year. The Bulls are one of just eight teams that are still undefeated after No. 12 Texas Tech had its unbeaten record snapped last night at the hands of No. 2 Duke, and most recently picked up a 71-59 win at the Carrier Dome for their first win over Syracuse since 1963. They have depth on the team, with nine players averaging 10 or more minutes per game and seven of those players averaging six or more points per game.

The most notable bench player is senior forward Nick Perkins, who is coming off the pine to average 25.1 minutes per game, is second on the team with 13.5 points per game and leads the squad with 8.5 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, their top point getter is senior guard CJ Massinburg, who is averaging 17.9 ppg, while securing 7.2 rebounds and shooting 43.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Overall, the Bulls are 17th in the country at 83.4 points per game and make 9.8 three-pointers per outing to rank 25th in the NCAA. Defensively, they have allowed just three opponents to eclipse the 70-point mark, averaging 67.8 points against per game which is the 77th-fewest in the nation. Their foes are hitting just 41.3 percent of their shots from the floor.

Golden Eagles’ defense is tough on opponents

Following losses at Indiana and in the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament to then-No. 2 Kansas, Marquette has rattled off six straight wins, including topping then-No. 12 Kansas State and then-No. 12 Wisconsin. Overall, the Golden Eagles are a perfect 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS in their eight home games with an average winning margin of 18.5. They are led by a trio of players, including brothers Sam and Joey Hauser, who are both averaging double-digit points. The elder, Sam, a junior forward, is leading the team with 6.8 rebounds per game while sitting second with 14.7 points per game. Joey, a freshman forward, is grabbing 5.7 boards per game and chipping in 10.2 points.

It is Markus Howard leading the charge offensively, though, as the junior guard is averaging 23.2 points per game and has topped the team in seven of 11 games. The Eagles are scoring 77.5 points per game, ranking 81st out of 353 teams, and much like their opponent tonight, they like to take advantage of the three-point line. Marquette drains 8.8 triples per game, the 73rd-most in college basketball, and the three aforementioned players are shooting a combined 39.6 percent from long distance.

They do have a big issue with ball possession, though, averaging 15.1 turnovers per game, which is the 76th-most in the NCAA. Buffalo creates the 32nd-most turnovers at 16.2. Lastly, Marquette has held opponents to just 66.6 points per game to rank 58th in the nation and gives up just 60.8 ppg at home (39th). Opponents are shooting just 39.5 percent from the floor.

Should you be on the OVER?

Marquette and Buffalo both rank in the top 100 for points scored per game and Sportsbook has the total Sportsbook at 153 points. However, both teams also rank in the top 100 for fewest points allowed per game. The Golden Eagles have gone OVER in their last four games, but the average combined score was 150 with two games going over 153 points, while the Bulls have gone UNDER in each of their last three games with an average combined score of 136.67.

Marquette has suffocated its last two ranked opponents, holding Kansas State to just 71 points and Wisconsin to 69 points after overtime. At the Fiserv Forum, foes are scoring just 60.8 ppg and although I don’t feel confident on either side of the total, the UNDER would be the way I’d lean.

My take on Buffalo vs Marquette

All good things come to an end and I think that’s the story for Buffalo as I like Marquette to cover the 2.5-point spread. The Bulls have had some nice wins thus far, topping Syracuse and West Virginia, but their strength of schedule ranks 128th out of 353 teams and those two teams have records just slightly over .500. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles’ strength of schedule ranks 59th out of 353 teams and outside of an ugly loss to Indiana, they have taken care of business, especially at home where they are 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS with an average winning margin of 18.5, having not won by any fewer than five points.

Marquette’s defense is surrendering 66.6 points per game, while Buffalo has given up 67.8 ppg, but the Eagles have played tougher teams. Additionally, the Bulls give up an average of 71 ppg on the road while the Eagles allow just 60.8 ppg at home. Offensively, Marquette scores 79.2 ppg at home, two points higher than its season average, and Buffalo averages 82.2 ppg on the road, one point below its season average.