Marquette vs Creighton Betting Preview
Friday night’s Marquette vs Creighton clash in the Big East will kick off a fantastic weekend of college basketball action. Sportsmemo NCAAB handicapper JM Sports offers his thoughts on the matchup between the Bluejays and Golden Eagles.
Check out our College Basketball Free Picks page for betting thoughts from some of the country’s top handicappers.
Marquette vs Creighton Betting Odds
Friday, December 16 | College Basketball Betting Notes |
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Point Spread: | Marquette Golden Eagles -4 vs Creighton Bluejays |
Total: | 154 Points |
Game Time: | 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT |
Arena: | Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI (Odds Above by DraftKings) |
TV: | FS1 |
Marquette vs Creighton Analysis
When a Shaka Smart team is involved, all eyes gravitate toward their pressing defense first, but the Golden Eagles will need to make some offensive improvements to compete in this one.
This is the fourth game that Marquette has played against a team ranked in the top-40 in defensive efficiency, and the Eagles have lost each of the previous three against Purdue Mississippi State and Wisconsin.
Bluejays Playing Efficient Basketball
Creighton has played one of the hardest schedules in the country this season. The Bluejays earned back-to-back wins over Texas Tech and Arkansas, but have followed that up with five-straight losses to Arizona, Texas, Nebraska, BYU and Arizona State.
Rebounding and free throws will likely be the key to this one. The Bluejays are one of the best rebounding teams in the country, and they are No. 1 in free throw rate allowed. Marquette is unlikely to get many trips to the free throw line and unlikely to get many second-chance points, so the Golden Eagles will have to be efficient in their offensive sets.
Marquette Matches Creighton in Offensive Efficiency
Marquette is No. 15 in offensive efficiency this season with an effective field goal percentage of 57-percent. The Golden Eagles have also done an impressive job of distributing the ball, as they rank in the top-15 in assist rate.
Marquette vs Creighton Prediction
This is a good spot for Creighton to break its five-game losing streak and get back on track. The Bluejays have won each of the last four meetings with Marquette.
The Golden Eagles rely on strong guard play to lead their press defense, but struggle with stopping big men on the inside once the opposition breaks that press.
Purdue big man Zach Edey had 20 points and 13 rebounds against Marquette a few weeks ago, and we could see a similar performance by Creighton forwards Arthur Kaluma (6’7) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (7’1).
Keep an eye on Kalkbrenner’s status through out the day. He’s missed Creighton’s last two contests with illness. He is one of the most efficient shooters in the entire country. If he is able to go tonight, we’re very attracted toward the Bluejays catching points at Marquette on Friday night.
Prediction: Creighton Bluejays -4 (If Kalkbrenner Plays)
Interested in placing a bet on tonight’s Marquette vs Creighton contest? DraftKings is offering a $1,000 Deposit Bonus for first-time bettors in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Wyoming and Arizona.
College Basketball Stat Sheet
GoldSheet prepares a daily college basketball stat sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Friday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Marquette vs Creighton contest.
Happy Hour Tip-Off Show
Get your daily fix of college hoops betting information with Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of handicapping guests.
The Happy Hour Tip-Off Show will broadcast Monday through Friday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT. Pull up a barstool and join us as we break down tonight’s college basketball card, including possibly this Marquette vs Creighton clash, from a sports betting perspective.
College Basketball Odds Screen
Sportsmemo’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books.
Track the college basketball point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Thursday’s college basketball games, including this Marquette vs Creighton showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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