Marquette vs. Butler Betting Odds & Expert Picks – Who’s Covering the Spread?

Marquette Golden Eagles (17-3 SU, 9-10-1 ATS) vs. Butler Bulldogs (9-11 SU, 10-10 ATS)

When: Tuesday, January 28th, 8:30 PM (ET)

Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, IN, Indianapolis

TV: FS1

Point Spread: MARQ -8/BUTL +8

Total: 147

Money Line: Marquette Golden Eagles -327/+260

Notable Injuries

Golden Eagles

• Sean Jones (Out) Redshirt
• Al Amadou (Out) Redshirt

Bulldogs

• Jamie Kaiser Jr. (Out) Redshirt
• Augusto Cassia (Out) Knee

Recent Form

Marquette Golden Eagles Recent Game/Games

Marquette improved to 17-3 on the season with an 87-74 win over Villanova on Friday, January 24th. The Golden Eagles were -8.5 point favorites and covered the spread. The total points for the game were 161, surpassing the O/U line of 142.5.

Marquette led 36-26 at halftime and scored 51 points in the 2nd half while allowing 48. Their offensive surge after the break helped them secure the win.

Butler Bulldogs Recent Game/Games

Butler improved to 9-11 on the season with an 86-69 win over DePaul on Saturday, January 25th. The Bulldogs, who were favored by 5.5 points, covered the spread and picked up the home victory.

Butler led 40-33 at halftime and outscored DePaul 46-36 in the second half. The total points for the game reached 155, surpassing the over/under line of 144.5.

Analysis

Marquette put up 87 points in their last game, shooting 46.7% from the field and hitting 53.3% on effective field goals. They were strong inside, connecting on 63.3% of their two-point attempts while shooting 30% from beyond the arc, going 9-for-30 from three-point range.

At the free-throw line, Marquette shot 81.5%, making 22 of 27 attempts. Jordan Longino led the way with 27 points and seven assists, while Stevie Mitchell added 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Chase Ross and Eric Dixon each contributed 18 points, with Dixon also grabbing nine rebounds.

Marquette’s defense gave up 74 points, with their opponents shooting 46% from the field. They allowed 19 two-point baskets on 30 attempts, a 63% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Marquette’s opponents hit 9 of 30 threes, shooting 30%. They also went to the free-throw line 27 times, making 22 free throws, an 81% rate. Marquette allowed nine offensive rebounds.

Butler’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 86 points on 51.7% shooting from the field. They connected on 41.7% of their threes, hitting 10 of 24 attempts, and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, making 16 of 17 shots for a 94.1% success rate. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 60.3%.

Pierre Brooks II led the way with 29 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field and hitting 4 of 8 from beyond the arc. NJ Benson added 20 points on 10 of 15 shooting, while Andre Screen was perfect from the field, going 7 for 7. Finley Bizjack also contributed, knocking down four threes at a 57.1% clip.

Butler’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 69 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 51% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 58% shooting, with the other team hitting 20 of 34 two-point attempts.

From three-point range, Butler’s opponents shot 41%, making 10 of 24 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 16 free throws for 94%.

Betting Trends

• Marquette has played well in their previous three road games, going 3-0 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 79 points per game while allowing 64. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
• When looking at their past ten home matchups, Butler has an ATS record of 6-4 while averaging 68 per game. The team went 2-8 overall in these games.
• Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Bulldogs have a straight-up record of 0-5. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-3.
• The Golden Eagles have played well in their last three games as the betting favorite, going 2-1 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.

Joe’s Pick To Cover The Spread

Marquette comes into this Big East matchup favored by -8 on the road vs Butler. But they are taking on a Bulldogs team that has been playing well of late, including taking Uconn to the wire on the road. There’s a lot of value in getting Butler at +8 in this one. I’m taking the Bulldogs to cover.