Pittsburgh vs Marquette | Preview, Predictions, Odds

Thursday, February 18, 2010 – Free College Basketball Pick

#19 Pittsburgh Panthers (19-6) vs. Marquette Golden Eagles (16-8)

The Marquette Golden Eagles will host the No.19 Pittsburgh Panthers in Big East action on Thursday at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Click Here for more Free Expert NCAA Basketball Picks

Pittsburgh rallied in the second half to beat Marquette 90-75, the last time these two teams met back on Mar 4, 2009. The all-time series between Pitt and Marquette is tied at 6-6, with the Eagles owning a perfect 3-0 mark in games played at the Bradley Center.

The Golden Eagles are currently riding a five-game winning streak and a victory tonight would go a long way in solidifying their chances for a postseason bid. The Eagles defeated South Florida, 63-52, on Saturday to move to 12-2 at home. Leading scorer, senior forward Lazar Hayward recorded a double double with a team-high 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Jimmy Butler added 15 points and six rebounds in the win. Marquette held USF to a meager 35.5 percent shooting effort and recorded eight steals in the contest. The Eagles are shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc, with most of that coming by way of sophomore guard Darius Johnson-Odom, who is shooting 49.5 percent from three-point range.

Pitt meanwhile, has won three in a row and solidified their bid for the NCAA Tournament with a 98-95 triple-overtime win over West Virginia on Friday. However, the Panthers are still in the hunt for a Big East title at 8-4, so a win at the Bradley Center is pivotal. Ashton Gibbs, the team’s leading scorer at 16.8 ppg, and Brad Wanamaker each posted 24 points and combined for nine rebounds in the win over WVU. Wannamaker also dished out 10 assists for a double double, while Gibbs drained six of his 13 attempts from beyond the arc.

The odds makers have the Golden Eagles as –6-point favorites in this one.

Click Here for more Free Expert NCAA Basketball Picks

Although Pitt is on a roll and should be carrying a lot of momentum from their huge win over WVU, the Eagles need this game more than Pitt does, and should be able to get it done with home advantage and their three-point shooting.

This one should be a good one. Look for a tough battle with the Panthers getting one on the road.

Pittsburgh Panthers Basketball Betting Trends:
  • Pittsburgh is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games
  • Pittsburgh is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
  • Pittsburgh is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Marquette
  • The total has gone OVER in 7 of Pittsburgh’s last 9 games when playing Marquette
Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball Betting Trends:
  • Marquette is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
  • Marquette is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Marquette’s last 6 games
  • Marquette is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home

Leave a Reply