Big East Conference Odds: Golden Eagles Starting to Soar in Big East Race

Plenty of Visiting Teams Will be Favored This Weekend

It is a bit of the calm before the storm this weekend in the Big East with the five ranked teams facing unranked opponents so don’t expect much movement in the Big East Conference odds.

Marquette has a two-game lead with just three conference games left with Creighton, Providence and Xavier all fighting it out for second place.

Things get rolling with Xavier, listed as a 1.5-point favorite heading to meet up with Seton Hall.

Marquette is 10th in the Associated Press poll and ninth in the coaches’ poll. Xavier, UConn, Creighton and Providence are in the top 20 in both polls.

UConn is seventh in the NCAA NET rankings as the Huskies lead the Big East with six Quad 1 wins. Marquette and Creighton come in at 13th and 14th followed by Xavier at No. 35 with Providence at No. 40.

UConn (+2000) has the best odds among Big East teams to win the national title followed by Creighton (+3000), Marquette (+3300) and Xavier (+4000).

Here’s a look at this weekend’s games with some betting odds and information to consider.

Game of the Week

This is a dangerous game for Creighton especially with Justin Moore now back with the Wildcats.

Moore is averaging 12.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists in the eight games he has played for Villanova (14-14, 8-9). The Wildcats have won four of the last five games and the last three at home so keep that in mind when pondering the Big East conference odds.

Creighton (18-10, 12-5) is in a three-way tie for second place in the Big East standings.

The Blue Jays have dropped two of their last three games with 29 turnovers in those two losses.

Each of the last three games in the series finished under the total.

When the teams met in Omaha on Feb. 4, Trey Alexander had 27 points in Creighton’s 66-61 win. The Blue Jays haven’t won back-to-back games in the same season against Villanova in nine years.

Other Games To Watch

Xavier is one of two Big East teams with winning road records and will look to add another win against the Pirates.

When looking at the impact from injuries in the NCAA basketball universe, the Musketeers are 3-3 since Zach Freemantle went out of the lineup. Souley Boum has attempted to make up for Freemantle’s absence as he has averaged 16.8 points with 16 3-pointers over the last six games for Xavier (20-8, 12-5).

Points have been hard to come by for Seton Hall (16-12, 9-8) as the Pirates have been held under 70 points in four of their last five games. The Pirates are 6 of 23 from 3-point range in the last two games.

Xavier is looking to sweep the season series against Seton Hall for the first time since the 2017-18 season after a 73-70 win at home as an eight-point favorite.

Three of the last four games between the Musketeers and Pirates finished over the total so keep that in mind when considering college basketball betting strategies.

UConn is coming off a huge win over Providence, rebounding from an earlier loss to the Friars. The Huskies try to do the same when they meet the Red Storm. The Big East conference odds could be shuffled a bit if the Huskies fall to St. John’s again.

Jordan Hawkins has at least two 3-pointers in each of the last 10 games with seven 20-point games during that stretch.

St. John’s (17-12, 7-11) has won three of its last four games with Joel Soriano averaging 15.7 points and 12.3 rebounds in those three victories. He had 19 points and 13 rebounds in the first meeting against UConn.

UConn (21-7, 10-7) has failed to cover in each of the last eight meetings with St. John’s. Half of those matchups came from 2010-13 as UConn didn’t face St. John’s during its time in the American Athletic Conference.

The Red Storm came into Connecticut and handed the Huskies an 11-point loss at home as a 14.5-point underdog on Jan. 15.

Marquette looks to take another step towards winning the Big East regular season title against a DePaul team that has lost nine straight games.

Point guard Tyler Kolek has scored in double figures in each of his last seven games and is also averaging 6.7 assists during that stretch for Marquette (22-6, 14-3).

Nick Ongenda recently made his season debut and he is contributing 7.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in the three games he has played to give DePaul (9-19, 3-14) another option in the post.

Each of the last four games between Marquette and DePaul ended up going over the total. The Golden Eagles won three of those contests and covered in each of those victories.

Marquette leads the Big East with an 18-9-1 record against the spread.

Providence looks to bounce back after fading in the second half in a loss to UConn. The Friars can move back to .500 on the road this season and remain in contention for second place in the Big East and perhaps even the conference lead if Marquette stumbles.

Devin Carter has put up better scoring, assist, steals and blocked shot numbers on the road than at home for the Friars (20-8, 12-5).

Each of the last three games for Georgetown (7-22, 2-16) were decided by single digits and that includes a win over Butler. Brandon Murray had 17 points in that game and followed that up with a 25-point effort in a loss to St. John’s.

Providence has won the last three games against Georgetown and five of the last six. Four of those wins were by double digits and that includes a 74-62 win at home on Feb. 8 as a 13-point favorite.

Five of the last seven games in the series finished under the total.
Follow us on Twitter

Can’t get enough? Here’s more!

• SEC Basketball Betting Roundup: Nick’s Got Nothing on The “Real” Bama
• Colonial Athletic Conference Odds: Hofstra, Charleston Top Dogs
• Big Ten Basketball Matchups: Screw the “Oaken Bucket” Purdue Must Put Up or Shut Up
• Missouri Valley Conference Odds: Bradley Slight Favorite
• Big 12 Basketball Parlays: Aiming Big in Tough Conference