The Marquette Golden Eagles take on the Providence Friars. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Marquette Providence prediction and pick. Find how to watch Marquette Providence.

The Marquette Golden Eagles have played a very tough schedule and have done well against that schedule in the first six weeks of the college basketball season. Marquette has welcomed a challenge from anyone willing to play the Golden Eagles. Marquette hasn't been perfect, but it has won most of the big showdowns on the slate. The team lost to Purdue and Wisconsin, but it has defeated Illinois, Texas, Kansas, and UCLA. That's a lot of quality wins with zero bad losses. Marquette is clearly in line to get another very high seed at the NCAA Tournament after notching a No. 2 seed last season. Shaka Smart has this program in a very good place, and since the team has played so many high-level opponents already this season, each new game against a formidable opponent is unlikely to intimidate this group. Loading up on the nonconference schedule with one tough matchup after another should put Marquette in a good position in the Big East Conference. This game against Providence will be an early measuring stick for the Golden Eagles within their league.

It is worth remembering, as Big East play gets going, that Connecticut was excellent last season in nonconference play, then got roughed up in the Big East, and then dominated six nonconference opponents in the NCAA Tournament, blasting past Iona, Saint Mary's, Arkansas, Gonzaga, Miami, and San Diego State to win the national championship. Marquette might lose some Big East games this season, but the Golden Eagles could be another example of a very good team which takes some punches in the Big East but then arrives at March Madness ready to do some real damage.

Here are the Marquette-Providence College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Basketball Odds: Marquette-Providence Odds

Marquette Golden Eagles: -4.5 (-108)

Providence Friars: +4.5 (-112)

Over: 146.5 (-110)

Under: 146.5 (-110)

How To Watch Marquette vs Providence

Time: 8:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm PT

TV: Fox Sports 1

Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Marquette Could Cover the Spread

The Golden Eagles' difficult schedule has prepared them for this game. Teams which encounter a lot of tests in nonconference play are toughened for battle and are exposed to a lot of playing styles. When they then get to conference play, they are ready for whatever is going to be thrown at them unless it's against a clearly superior opponent. Against defending national champion UConn, Marquette's tough schedule might not matter, but against a Providence team which is entering Big East competition under first-year head coach Kim English, Shaka Smart should have the upper hand. Marquette should be able to handle this situation. Providence is the team facing more question marks in this game, and that's a relatively obvious reality to point out.

Why Providence Could Cover the Spread

The Friars get Marquette at home. They are going to be pumped up for this game. They know how big the moment is and will treat this game as their Super Bowl. Marquette is a better team, but we know that in college hoops, these are not best-of-seven-game series. Teams just need to be better on one night for 40 minutes. Providence is in position to play its best game of the year and make a major statement.

Final Marquette-Providence Prediction & Pick

This does figure to be a competitive game, but Marquette has a very strong team against an inexperienced Providence coach. This game lines up well for Marquette.

Final Marquette-Providence Prediction & Pick: Marquette -4.5