The DePaul Blue Demons play the second of their three-game road swing as they invade the Fiserv Forum to tip off against the No. 12 Marquette Golden Eagles. Both teams are coming off of victories – for DePaul, it hopes its win was the first of a streak, while Marquette seeks its sixth straight triumph. The Blue Demons haven’t earned a win at the Fiserv Forum since 2016 and the Golden Eagles are an 8.5-point favorite with the total Sportsbook at 151 points.
- Marquette is 13-1 SU and 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games.
- The total has gone OVER in seven of DePaul’s last 11 games.
- Marquette is 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in its last six games vs DePaul.
DePaul vs Marquette Game Center
Golden Eagles Continue to climb the rankings
Marquette was ranked 24th in the AP poll heading into the second week of the season but a loss at Indiana and a neutral-site defeat to then-No. 2 Kansas over a span of three games knocked it out. Since then, it has picked up victories in 13 of its last 14 games, with its only defeat coming at St. John’s at the beginning of conference play. It has three wins over then-ranked opponents, all at home, and is now up to 12th in the AP poll.
Offensively, the Golden Eagles have been pouring in an average of 79.3 points per game to rank 37th, with 28.3 ppg coming from downtown (31st). Most of the three-point damage is coming from junior guard Markus Howard, who is averaging 8.6 triple attempts per game and is hitting 43.9 percent of those shots.
On the defensive side of the ball, Marquette ranks 98th in college basketball by surrendering 68.9 points per game, but that number plummets to 61.4 ppg at home (34th). One of the biggest issues is that the Golden Eagles average 14.1 turnovers per game to rate 232nd and that contributes to 60.5 shots against per game, the 77th-most in the nation.
Defense Remains an Issue for the Blue Demons
DePaul has picked up two straight road victories, including an upset over then-No. 24 St. John’s, followed by a 97-93 win at Seton Hall to complete the season sweep of the Pirates. Overall, DePaul has split its six games in the Big East with its only road loss coming at Villanova by a five-point margin.
Unlike Marquette, DePaul averages just 19.8 points per game from downtown, which ranks 268th, averaging just 20.2 attempts per game. That being said, the Blue Demons have the No. 66 offense, putting in 77.6 points per game, including the 15th-most ppg from two-point range. Additionally, they take an average of 59.8 shots per game, the 82nd-most in college basketball.
However, the Demons are giving up 72.5 ppg to rank 183rd. They surrender the 22nd-most points from beyond the arc at 28.4 per game and rank 339th in college basketball in allowing their foes to hit 39.2 percent of three-point attempts. One bright spot, though, is their ability to clean the glass, securing the 38th-most rebounds per game at 38.8, including the 34th-most defensive boards.
Should you be on the OVER?
A pair of offensive teams collide and Sportsbook has the total Sportsbook at 151 points. The total has gone OVER in seven of DePaul’s last 11 games with an average combined score of 152.91 and five games going OVER 151 points. Meanwhile, Marquette has only gone OVER 151 points twice in its last seven games.
That being said, the Golden Eagles get 35.6 percent of their total points from three-point range, while the Blue Demons give up the 22nd-most points from beyond the arc. DePaul should also find success around the rim with Marquette ranking 145th in points allowed from two-point range. I think the OVER will come through.
My take on DePaul vs Marquette
I like Marquette to cover the 8.5-point spread. The Golden Eagles have the 22nd-best scoring margin at home this season at +18.6, with just three of their 13 games being decided by nine or fewer points. Additionally, during Marquette’s five-game winning streak, it has had an average winning margin of 7.6.
For DePaul, this is the highest-ranked opponent it has faced this season. In its three road losses this year, it has had an average losing margin of 12.33, and it has an average losing margin of 11.17 in its six defeats overall. Lastly, the Golden Eagles average the 31st-most three-pointers made per game and the Blue Demons give up the 22nd-most points from beyond the arc.
