The Providence Friars will play the Marquette Golden Eagles on Friday at Madison Square Garden in the Big East Semifinals. We're here to share our college basketball odds series, make a Providence-Marquette prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
Providence defeated eighth-ranked Creighton 78-73 in one of the biggest upsets in college basketball so far. They led 33-30 at halftime and held on for a win. Devin Carter led the way with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Josh Oduro added 17 points and nine rebounds, and Jayden Pierre had 15 points.
Providence shot just 41.4 percent from the hardwood, including 26.1 percent from the triples. However, they made all 14 of their free-throw attempts. They also held Creighton to 37.9 percent from the floor, including 23.1 percent from the three-point line. They won the board battle 36-33. Likewise, their defense was on point with seven steals, which helped force 11 turnovers.
Marquette defeated the Villanova Wildcats 71-65 in an exciting overtime thriller on Thursday at MSG. They led 58-55 with just over a minute left. Unfortunately, a shooting foul on a three-point attempt allowed Villanova to tie the game. Marquette pulled away in the extra period. Kam Jones led the way with 18 points while shooting 7 for 15. Stevie Mitchell had 15 points, David Joplin also had 14 points, and Chase Ross tacked on 11 points while shooting 4 for 11.
Marquette shot 39.7 percent from the floor, including 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Yet, they also held Villanova to 34.5 percent from the field, including 25.7 percent from beyond the arc. Marquette won the game despite losing the board battle 41-31. On the flip side, they also had good defense, with seven steals, which helped force 11 turnovers.
The teams split the season series. Providence defeated Marquette 72-57 at home on December 19 in the first showdown. On February 28, Marquette returned the favor, destroying Providence 91-69 at home.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Providence-Marquette Odds
Providence: +4.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +162
Marquette: -4.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -196
Over: 137.5 (-115)
Under: 137.5 (-105)
How to Watch Providence vs. Marquette
Time: 8:05 PM ET/5:-5 PM PT
TV: FSI
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Providence Will Cover The Spread/Win
The one thing to look for in this game is how well these players adjust. Providence will attempt to pull another win out of the hat, as several players can make some noise. Let's take a look at a few of them.
Carter did well last night. However, he had mixed results in the loss against Marquette. Carter scored 18 points while shooting 5 for 13. Moreover, he also had five turnovers. Ticket Gaines did not do well last night. Regardless, he is capable of breaking through, as he did against Marquette when he scored 15 points while shooting 5 for 8 from the floor. Oduro also had a productive game against Creighton. Likewise, he had 12 points while shooting 6 for 14.
The Friars cannot take bad shots. They need to set picks to make some good chances. While their shooting was not awful in the last game, their defense was. Somehow, they allowed Marquette to shoot over 55 percent. Turning the ball over 15 times also did not help.
Providence will cover the spread if they can clamp down on defense. Then, they need to be careful with the rock.
Why Marquette Will Cover The Spread/Win
Marquette shot 56.9 percent in the win over Providence but only 32 percent in the loss. That stark difference is the main reason for each result. Marquette also has the talent to beat anyone.
Jones has been hot lately, scoring 30+ points in 3 of 7 games. He also scored 17 points in the game against Providence. Joplin has been inconsistent. Yet, he did relatively well last night and against Providence, netting 13 points while shooting 4 for 9.
Tyler Kolek has been out with an injury and will not play in this game against Providence. Mitchell needs to step up. He has played well recently and even scored 12 points against Providence in their last battle.
Marquette shot the ball amazingly well in their win. Somehow, they kept finding open shots and it gave them the best chance to win. Because of this, they cruised to victory. They also played strong defense in that game and also won the board battle.
Marquette will cover the spread if their top players can shoot well. Then, they need to play stingy defense and win the board battle.
Final Providence-Marquette Prediction & Pick
Providence looked amazing in their win last night. Conversely, Marquette looked tired as they barely got past Villanova. Regardless, Marquette deserves to be the favorite in this one. As for the game result, both teams will look to get the hot hand and finish this one strong. But in the end, a winner will not be determined until the final moments of the game. Marquette may win the game, but Providence covers the spread.
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Final Providence-Marquette Prediction & Pick: Providence: +4.5 (-110)
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