Big East Semifinal: Connecticut vs. Marquette Picks, Predictions, Odds

There's a good chance that we have a first-time winner of the Big East Conference Tournament. The only team that has previously won this conference tournament is the Connecticut Huskies, and their last title came all the way back in 2011.

Marquette, Creighton, and Xavier all joined the Big East in the 21st Century, and all three schools are hoping to make history with their first Big East Tournament title. UConn will face the Marquette Golden Eagles in the first semifinal of the Big East Tournament on Friday evening, and the winner of this game will likely be favored in the Big East Championship Game on Saturday.

For the 40th year, the Big East Tournament is being played at historic Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The UConn Huskies and Marquette Golden Eagles will square off in the first semifinal on Friday, March 10, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

UConn Huskies vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Prediction

This is the rubber match between UConn and Marquette as the Huskies and Golden Eagles each won a game at home in the regular season meetings between these teams. UConn won the most recent matchup with Marquette, and that's been the only loss for the Golden Eagles since January 15. That makes it tough to pick a side, but there is value when looking at the total. There were 158 and 159 points scored in the two previous games between these teams, so the Over is worth a long look here.

Best Bet: Over 146.5 (-110)
Score Prediction: UConn 78 Marquette 74

UConn Huskies vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Odds

UConn Huskies vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Resources

Date: Friday, Mar. 10, 2023
TV-Time: FS1, 6:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden
Location: New York, NY
Matchup
Expert Picks

Big East Tournament Odds

UConn Huskies vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Stats

UConn Huskies
SU: 25-7
ATS: 21-11
O/U: 18-14
PPG: 79.2
OPPG: 65.1

Marquette Golden Eagles
SU: 26-6
ATS: 19-13
O/U: 17-15
PPG: 81.1
OPPG: 71.3

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

Updated on 07/26/2024

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UConn Huskies Betting Analysis

Advanced metrics like those of Ken Pomeroy absolutely love UConn. The Huskies are the fourth best team in the nation according to his numbers, as they rank 10th in offense and 15th in defense. UConn ranks first in offensive rebounding percentage, and the Huskies have an effective field goal percentage of 53.6%.

Adama Sanogo is one of the best players in the country. He is averaging 16.7 PPG and 7.2 RPG, and he is a very efficient scorer for a 6'9 forward. Sanogo is making 59.2% of his field goals and 78.2% of his free throws, and he is even hitting more than 36% of his threes.

UConn's top four scorers are all sinking at least 36% of their three-point attempts. Jordan Hawkins is the second leading scorer on the team, and he is averaging 16.5 PPG while making 37.7% of his threes. Tristen Newton is averaging 10.3 PPG and hitting 36.9% of his shots from distance, and Alex Karaban is responsible for 9.7 PPG as he is draining 40% of his triples.

The Huskies are very good on defense too. They rank ninth in effective field goal percentage on defense, and opponents are making just 29.5% of their threes against this team. Donovan Clingan is a real defensive presence in the paint too as a 7'2 freshman center, as he has 1.8 BPG in just over 13 MPG.

Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Analysis

Shaka Smart is known as a defensive coach, but Marquette's offense is what has made this team a real contender this season. The Golden Eagles rank eighth in adjusted offensive efficiency by Pomeroy, and they are making 59.2% of their two-point attempts. They are an above average three-point shooting team, but they don't need to be particularly proficient from beyond the arc when they are this good in the paint.

Oso Ighodaro is averaging 11.9 PPG and 6.0 RPG, and he is making 65.8% of his field goal attempts. Fellow forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper is making 52.7% of his shots while averaging 12.6 PPG, and Kam Jones is averaging 15.1 PPG as the leading scorer on the Golden Eagles. All three players are making at least 63.6% of their two-point attempts, and they are rank in the top 100 in efficiency here among the qualified leaders. Tyler Kolek is running the offense and ranks second nationally with 7.9 APG.

The Golden Eagles are like a Smart team in that they force a lot of turnovers. Opponents turn the ball over on 23.1% of their possessions against this defense, and Marquette ranks in the top five in steal percentage. The top four guards are all averaging at least 1.2 SPG with Kolek and Stevie Mitchell leading the way at 1.8 SPG. Chase Ross is a freshman to watch when he is on the court too in this regard.