Marquette Golden Eagles at Georgetown Hoyas
Verizon Center – Washington, DC
Monday, January 20, 2014, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: Fox Sports 1
Opening Line: Georgetown -3 1/2
Current Line: Georgetown -3
Opening Total: 130
Current Total: 130
Opening Money Line: Georgetown -145 / Marquette +125
Current Money Line: Georgetown -160 / Marquette +135
Both the Georgetown Hoyas and Marquette Golden Eagles have been mainstays in March for the last decade or so. However this season both are in rebuilding years and are on the bubble for the NCAA tournament. Georgetown is 11-6 overall and 3-3 in the Big East. Marquette is 10-8 overall and 2-3 in the Big East.
Georgetown leads the series 8-7 against Marquette. The two schools split the season series last year. Marquette won in Milwaukee 49-48 and Georgetown won in Washington 63-55. Marquette hasn’t won at Georgetown since 2009. They will play again in Milwaukee February 27.
Marquette is coached by Buzz Williams. The Golden Eagles have losses to Ohio State, at Arizona State, San Diego State in Fullerton, CA, at Wisconsin, New Mexico in Las Vegas, at Creighton, at Xavier, and at Butler Saturday 69-57 in overtime. The Golden Eagles have alternated wins and losses over the last 8 games. Marquette has key wins at CS-Fullerton, George Washington in Fullerton, Ball State, DePaul and Seton Hall. The Golden Eagles are 6-10 ATS and the total is 6-9 this season.
Marquette is outscoring teams 70-64 this season. The Golden Eagles are #36 nationally in points allowed. Marquette is shooting 44.5% from the field and 29.7% from 3 point range. Marquette is #323 out of 351 teams in three point shooting. The Golden Eagles make 67.7% of their free throws. Marquette opponents are shooting 39.6% from the field and 35% from 3 point range. The Golden Eagles are #43 in field goal defense. Marquette averages 38.2 rebounds per game and opponents average 29.9 per game. The Golden Eagles average 14.6 assists, 12.3 turnovers, 6.7 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game. Opponents average 13.3 assists, 13 turnovers, 5.1 steals and 3.2 blocks per game.
Forward Davante Gardner averages 13.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Forward Jamil Wilson averages 11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 rebounds per game. Guard Todd Mayo averages 9.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Guard Jake Thomas averages 7.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Center Chris Otule averages 6.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. Guard/forward Deonte Burton averages 6.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. JaJuan Johnson, Derrick Wilson, and Juan Anderson will also get significant minutes. Wilson leads the team in assists at 3.8 per game. Johnson is questionable with an ankle injury. Guard Duane Wilson is out for the season with a foot injury, but hasn’t played this season.
Georget0wn is coached by John Thompson III. The Hoyas have losses to Oregon in South Korea, to Northeastern in a tournament in Puerto Rico, at Kansas, at Providence, at Xavier, and saturday at home against Seton Hall 67-57. The Seton Hall loss snapped a 16 game home winning streak for the Hoyas. Georgetown has lost 3 of their last 4 games including 2 straight. The Hoyas have key wins over Wright State at home, Kansas State and VCU in Puerto Rico, Depaul and St. John’s both at home, and at Butler. Georgetown is 7-9 ATS and the total is 10-6 this season.
Georgetown is outscoring teams 72-66 this season. The Hoyas are shooting 47.6% from the field including 33.9% from 3 point range. The Hoyas are #48 nationally in field goal percentage. Georgetown makes 67.9% of their free throws. Hoya opponents are shooting 39% from the field and 29.8% from 3 point range. Georgetown is #27 in opponents’ field goal percentage and #34 in three point defense. The Hoyas average 35.1 rebounds per game and opponents average 30.9 per game. Georgetown averages 14.2 assists, 13.1 turnovers, 6.2 steals, and 4.4 blocks per game. Opponents average 11.2 assists, 12.8 turnovers, 6.8 steals and 2.9 blocks per game.
Hoya guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera averages 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Guard Markel Starks averages 15.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal per game. Center Joshua Smith is questionable because of academics. He averages 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and i steal per game. Forward Jabril Trawick is out indefinitely with a broken jaw. He averages 7.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. Forward Mikael Hopkins averages 6.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game. Forward Nate Lubick averages 5.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Aaron Bowen, Reggie Cameron, and Moses Ayegba will also get minutes in the rotation.
Marquette is 10-4 ATS in Monday games, 14-6 after a straight up loss, 0-9 in Big East games, 0-7 overall, 0-6 after failing to cover, and against teams with winning records, 0-4 in road games and against teams with winning home records.
Georgetown is 4-0 ATS in Monday games, 4-1 after a straight up loss, 14-6 after failing to cover, 3-7 overall, 2-5 against Big East teams, and 3-9 after a double digit home loss. The favorite is 5-2 ATS in this series recently.
Both of these teams are too inconsistent. You honestly don’t know which team will show up from game to game. Both are coming off disappointing losses to beatable teams. Both play good defense, but sometimes struggle on offense. I don’t trust either side but under 130 points looks like a good play.
