West Virginia cruised in its Round of 64 matchup against Murray State but that proved to be the exception that has proven the rule. In that victory, the Mountaineers managed to cover a double-digit spread for just the second time this season despite being in that spot on eight occasions. WVU will be giving up 10-plus points once again in the Round of 32 when taking on the Marshall Thundering Herd.
- Marshall is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games against West Virginia.
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of West Virginia’s last 7 games.
- Marshall is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games with 1 day off between games.
Senior Jevon Carter had one of his best games of the season against Murray State, as the WVU guard tallied 21 points, eight assists, six steals and five assists. Carter – as well as the entire West Virginia team – used the expected aggressive defense on one end while constantly getting the ball inside to take advantage of their superior size. That game plan won’t be as easy against Marshall with Ajdin Penava – the nation’s leader in blocks per game – manning the paint.
Marshall’s first-round upset of Wichita State was the Jon Elmore show, as the Herd guard recorded 27 points while going to the charity stripe 15 times. That was simply par for the course for Elmore with the junior scoring at least 20 points in 12 of Marshall’s last 14 games. The key will be for Elmore and backcourt mate C.J. Burks to play with better ball control, as both guards are averaging more than three turnovers per game on the year.
Marshall Thundering Herd vs West Virginia Mountaineers Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
Supporters of the Marshall Thundering Herd have watched them go 25-10 and 20-12 ATS on the college basketball season, while the West Virginia Mountaineers are at 25-10 and 16-16 ATS. In totals betting, the Mountaineers are 17-16, while the Thundering Herd have a 16-16 mark.
The Power Rankings at OddsShark show No. 49-rated Marshall taking on No. 32-rated West Virginia in this contest.
Statistical Matchup
Rating these schools in several key categories is important for handicappers and West Virginia has the nation's No. 38-rated offensive output, at 79.77 PPG. The visiting Marshall defense ranks No. 241 allowing on average 78.71 PPG. The Mountaineers' FG% has averaged 43.61% so far, less than the Thundering Herd marksmen have achieved on the year, 46.9% per game.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Marshall earned an 81-75 victory over Wichita State on Friday, getting 27 points from Jon Elmore at Viejas Arena.
West Virginia got 21 points from Jevon Carter en route to an 85-68 victory over Murray State on Friday at Viejas Arena.
