The Big East is in the house tonight, and the Marquette Golden Eagles are heavy favorites to beat the Butler Bulldogs at Fiserv Forum.
While the Bulldogs hope to end a three-game losing skid, my Butler vs. Marquette predictions expect the hard times to continue.
Read on for my college basketball picks for Wednesday, December 18 ahead of this 9 p.m. ET tip on FS1.
Butler vs Marquette prediction
My best bet
Marquette -13.5 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
The Butler Bulldogs have struggled, scoring fewer than 74 points in each of their last four.
Butler doesn’t handle the rock very well. Opponents have turned their dozen turnovers into 13 points per night, and that’s less than optimal when facing a Marquette Golden Eagles group averaging 20.5 points from 16 forced turnovers per night.
Turnovers aside, Butler relies heavily on the triple, shooting late into the clock but knocking down 39% from downtown to offset its 53% effective field goal percentage.
It's a big number to cover, but Marquette will do it. The Golden Eagles have a Top-20 KenPom defense that defends the triple at a high level (30%) and turns 16 miscues into 20 points on average.
Butler won’t recover from the miscues, and it'll have difficulties slowing the Golden Eagles scorers. Marquette is tidy with the rock, averages 15 dimes per game, and will get plenty of wide-open looks from everywhere against a Butler group that doesn’t defend well from anywhere.
Since 2020, Marquette is 49-7 straight up and 30-25-1 ATS when favored at home. It's covered the number against Butler in three of its previous five with the Bulldogs and will cover the big number tonight.
Butler vs Marquette same-game parlay
Marquette -13.5
Butler team total Over 61.5
Under 154.5
I like Marquette to blow Butler out of the gym tonight, but I believe the Bulldogs will land enough triples to exceed their team total.
Marquette defends the perimeter well, but it's not elite. Butler will hope to launch at least 22, and a 39% three-point shooting side in a slump can get hot enough from downtown and make enough free throws (75%) to exceed 62 points.
That’s why I chose the alternate game total. The 155 points give us a cushion, but far too many for a Big East matchup that has ended Under the number in each of their previous five meetings.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Butler vs Marquette odds
Butler vs Marquette live odds
Butler vs Marquette opening odds
- Spread: Butler +13 (-110) | Marquette -13 (-110)
- Moneyline: Butler +575 | Marquette -850
- Over/Under: Over 150.5 (-110) | Under 150.5 (-110)
Odds courtesy of bet365
Butler vs Marquette betting trend to know
Marquette has covered the Spread in 17 of their last 23 games at home (+10.40 Units / 41% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Butler vs. Marquette.
How to watch Butler vs Marquette
| Location: | Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI |
| Date: | Wednesday, 12-18-2024 |
| Tip-off: | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FS1 |
Butler vs Marquette key injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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