Thursday’s showdown between Marquette (22-9, 13-7 Big East) and Xavier (21-10, 13-7) is massive.
Both teams have strong resumes and will like to think they’re on stable footing to get into the NCAA Tournament, but the truth is that an early loss in the Big East Tournament could spell trouble for either side.
For fifth-seeded Marquette, that trouble would likely be in the form of a drop in seeding – possibly to a play-in game – while fourth-seeded Xavier could have its bubble burst with a loss.
Adding to the intrigue is the fact that the betting market views these two teams as near equals, with Marquette sitting as a 2.5-point favorite at the time of writing.
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Xavier vs. Marquette Big East Tournament odds
| Team | Spread | Moneylne | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette | -2.5 (-110) | -140 | o144.5 (-110) |
| Xavier | +2.5 (-110) | +120 | u144.5 (-110) |
Xavier vs. Marquette Big East Tournament betting preview
This is a matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions.
While Marquette has lost three of its last five games, Xavier ran rampant down the stretch, collecting seven wins on the spin to put itself in a decent position to get an at-large bid.
The Musketeers still have work to do, but they’ve at least put themselves on the bubble in what looked like a lost season not too long ago.
That sets up an interesting quandary for handicappers
Is this a situation where you want to back the team that got hot at the right time?
Or is this a classic buy-low spot on a Marquette side that was ranked inside the top 10 for a large chunk of the season?
In this case, the latter seems to hold more value.
Betting on College Basketball?
Bettors tend to flock to the hotter team in situations like these – especially when it has a lot more to play for than its opponent – and that causes their price to get a bit out of whack.
Xavier vs. Marquette Big East Tournament prediction
That seems to be what’s happening here, as Marquette is a one-score favorite over a team that was considered an also-ran not that long ago.
Final prediction: Marquette -2.5 (-110, Fanatics Sportsbook)
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Looking to go the other way and back the red-hot Musketeers on Thursday?
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Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
