#20 Xavier at Marquette Odds, Best Bets & Prediction

#20 Xavier at Marquette Preview

Sunday brings us a Big East doubleheader highlighted by a showdown between the Marquette Golden Eagles and the No. 20 Xavier Musketeers. Xavier got the better of Marquette 80-71 when these teams met in Cincinnati earlier this season. However, that was before the Golden Eagles became the hottest team in the Big East thanks to a five-game winning streak. They will try to push it to six games in front of their home fans on Sunday afternoon.

Xavier Musketeers Preview

Just like Marquette, the Musketeers are one of five Big East teams at the top of the standings that are within a game of one another. Xavier is 14-3 overall with two of those losses coming against Villanova and the third coming against Iowa State. Xavier has taken care of business against everyone else, including wins over Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, and Cincinnati outside of the conference.

The Musketeers have put together a great season thus far behind a balanced roster that includes six players who average at least eight points per game. Seven-footer Jack Nunge, a transfer from Iowa, has taken over as the team’s top scorer, averaging 12.6 points and seven rebounds per game. He also came up big with 23 points in Xavier’s narrow win over DePaul earlier this week. Nunge also provides a strong defensive presence and some much-needed size on a guard-heavy Xavier team. Zach Freemantle, a 6’9’’ forward, has started to come around but hasn’t given the Musketeers the production they were expecting coming off a breakout season a year ago. Outside of Nunge, Freemantle, and Jerome Hunter, the Musketeers don’t have much size in the frontcourt.

Of course, Xavier does have a strong contingent of well-rounded guards. Nate Johnson averages 11.6 points per game and is shooting 43% from the perimeter, although he’s been held to seven points or less in three of his last four games. However, Colby Jones has helped to pick up the slack, scoring 29 points over his last two games. He’s not much of a shooter but the 6’6’’ wing is an important rebounder for the Musketeers and a capable scorer. Paul Scruggs is another veteran guard who provides toughness and is the team’s best passer, dishing out 4.3 assists per game. Finally, Adam Kunkel gives Xavier another outside shooter who makes 39% of his perimeter shots and helps take some of the pressure off Johnson. With those four guards, the Musketeers are able to attack teams in a variety of ways.

Marquette Golden Eagles Preview

Not only has Marquette won five games in a row but also three of those wins have come against ranked teams. That winning streak was punctuated by a road win over Villanova earlier this week. As a result, the Golden Eagles head into the weekend just one game off the pace in the Big East, albeit with the top five teams in the conference within one game of each other.

Freshman Justin Lewis has been the hero in Marquette’s three wins over ranked teams during the team’s winning streak. First, he scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Providence. He also scored 18 points against Seton Hall and then 21 points in the win over Villanova. On the season, the freshman is averaging 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and only seems to be getting better each time out. His partner in crime this season has been senior Darryl Morsell, who is averaging 13.6 points per game. The Maryland transfer only had 10 points in the win over Villanova but led the way with 26 points against Seton Hall last week.

But while Lewis and Morsell are leading the way for the Golden Eagles, Marquette has a solid supporting cast. While Greg Elliott is averaging just 8.3 points per game on the season, he’s scoring 15.7 points per game over his last three games. He’s also shooting 52% from three-point range and is one of four Golden Eagles who are a constant threat from the perimeter along with Lewi and Morsell. The fourth member of that quartet is Kam Jonas, who shoots 38.1% from three-point range and leads Marquette in made three-point field goals this year. Finally, Marquette is getting excellent point guard play from redshirt freshman Tyler Kolek. Despite scoring five points or less in four of Marquette’s last five games, Kolek is averaging 7.8 assists per game during that stretch and 6.4 assists per game during the season, so he’s creating plenty of scoring chances for his teammates.

#20 Xavier at Marquette Prediction

This game looks to be close to a toss-up. Xavier is deep and balanced, which is why the Musketeers have been close to unbeatable against everyone but Villanova. However, the Golden Eagles are brimming with confidence after five straight wins, including three against ranked teams. Clearly, Marquette can play with anyone in the Big East, especially with the Golden Eagles getting production from their younger players, giving them a good chance to keep their winning streak intact. 

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