The #19 Creighton Blue Jays (18-9, 12-4 Big East) welcome the #10 Marquette Golden Eagles (21-6, 13-3 Big East) in a top-25 showdown between two of the top teams in the Big East Conference. Creighton looks to even the season series after Marquette handed the Blue Jays a 69-58 loss in mid-December.
Tuesday’s conference tilt tips off at 8:30 p.m. EST inside the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Creighton is a 5.5-point favorite, and the over/under total is 148 points.
What to Know – #10 Marquette Golden Eagles
The Golden Eagles plan for a victory and to remain in the drivers seat of the conference standings. Marquette holds a one-game advantage over three teams in league play, one being the Blue Jays. According to KenPom, Marquette is the 12th-ranked team in the country, and the NCAA NET rankings have the Golden Eagles 14th.
On offense, Marquette is second in the league scoring 80.7 points per game thanks to 49.4% shooting from the floor and 35.3% shooting from three. The Golden Eagles defense holds opponents to 70.6 ppg, 44.9% shooting from the field, and 35.2% shooting from deep.
Marquette sports an impressive 17-9-1 record against the spread this year and a 7-3 mark ATS on the road. Over the last seven away games the Golden Eagles are 5-2 ATS.
What to Know – #19 Creighton Blue Jays
A win for the Blue Jays and Creighton is neck and neck with the Golden Eagles atop the Big East. Creighton has won nine of its last ten games and eight in a row at home. KenPom has the Blue Jays as the tenth-ranked team, while the NCAA NET has the Blue Jays ranked one spot ahead of Marquette at 13th.
The Blue Jays offense is sixth in the Big East, averaging 76.3 ppg while shooting 46.7% from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc. Defensively, Creighton is fourth in the league, surrendering 67.5 ppg, 42.0% shooting from the floor, and 33.9% from the 3-point line.
Creighton is 13-14 ATS and 6-7 ATS on its home floor this season. The Blue Jays are just 2-4 ATS over their previous six matchups.
The Pick is In
A lot is on the line Tuesday night when these two teams tip off in Omaha. Both are safely in the NCAA Tournament conversation but remain in contention for the Big East regular season title with only a handful of games remaining.
Both teams are highly effective on the offensive end of the floor, but the Blue Jays have been on another level over the last two months offensively, especially on their home floor. Creighton has a lot going for them, momentum, the home crowd, and a better defense.
We like the Blue Jays to cover in this and end the season as the Big East champions.
The Pick: #19 Creighton Blue Jays -5.5
