- The #2 Marquette Golden Eagles face the #15 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the first round
- Marquette stars Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro are both dealing with injuries
- Below, get Marquette vs Western Kentucky predictions and odds
Hoping to break a decade-long Sweet 16 drought, the #2 Marquette Golden Eagles (25-9, 4-2 neutral, 20-13-1 ATS) first have to get past the #15 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (22-11, 4-2 neutral, 19-11 ATS) in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
The Hilltoppers and Golden Eagles will square off at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis at 2:00 pm ET on Friday, March 22. Despite some significant injury concerns, Marquette is a 14.5-point betting favorite.
Western Kentucky vs Marquette Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | +14.5 (-110) | +750 | O 158.5 (-110) |
| Marquette Golden Eagles | -14.5 (-110) | -1200 | U 158.5 (-110) |
The Western Kentucky vs Marquette odds list the #2 Golden Eagles at -1200 with the #15 Hilltoppers at +750. The game total of 158.5 is the third-highest in the college basketball odds for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Odds as of March 22 at bet365. Claim a bet365 promo code to wager on the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Largely due to injury concerns, which we’ll come to momentarily, Marquette was only the third-favorite to win the South Region in the Final Four odds on Selection Sunday. But money has clearly come in on the Golden Eagles (+500), who are now in front of #4 Duke and the second-favorite to Houston (+150).
How Healthy Are Kolek and Ighodaro for Marquette?
Shaka Smart’s team has been hit hard by injuries this year and that’s an ongoing issue as the NCAA Tournament arrives. Star point guard Tyler Kolek (15.0 PPG, 7.6 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.6 SPG), who’s missed six games already, is questionable for the opening round with an oblique strain.
Kolek hasn’t played since late February, and Marquette was just 3-3 in his absence this season, but he participated in full-contact practice this week and Smart has already said that Kolek is expected to play.
Ighodaro (14.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG) left Marquette’s last game with a leg injury but it doesn’t appear to be serious, and he’s also expected to play on Friday.
Marquette Tied for Second in Strong Big East]
Despite the injury woes throughout the season, the Golden Eagles managed a 14-6 record in Big East play, tied with Creighton for second in the conference. The Big East rated third-strongest in the nation this season at KenPom, fractionally behind the Big Ten.
With Kam Jones averaging a team-high 16.8 PPG, Marquette finished 22nd in offensive efficiency (and 20th on defense). They went 8-6 against teams in KenPom’s top 50, including wins over Illinois (71-64 away), Kansas (73-59 neutral), Texas (86-65 home), and Creighton (72-67 home). They lost all three contests with #1 UConn (81-53 away, 74-67 home, 73-57 neutral) including the semis of the Big East Tournament last time out.
Last season (also as a #2 seed), Marquette cruised past #15 Vermont in the first round (78-61) before bowing out to #7 Michigan State (69-60) in the round of 32.
Hilltoppers Have Played Just One Top-100 Team All Season (and Lost)
Western Kentucky played just the 240th-strongest schedule in the nation during the regular season and 274th non-conference slate. The best team they played all season was Louisiana Tech (94th at KenPom), splitting their home-and-home with the Bulldogs.
The Hilltoppers went just 8-8 in C-USA play and got very lucky in the conference tournament. WKU didn’t have to face either #1 Sam Houston or #2 La Tech during its run to the C-USA Tournament title. Steve Lutz’s team punched its ticket to the dance with a 78-71 win over UTEP in the C-USA title game.
The Hilltoppers average 80.6 PPG (37th in Division I) but that’s thanks to their frenetic pace (first in tempo). WKU’s offense only rates 190th in opponent-adjusted efficiency. They actually rate significantly higher defensively (104th).
Junior guard Dom McHenry leads the team in scoring at 15.2 PPG while two senior transfers – guard Brandon Newman (10.1 PPG) from Purdue and forward Rodney Howard (10.0 PPG) from Georgia Tech – are also in double-figures for WKU.
Western Kentucky vs Marquette Pick
This is a massive step up in competition for the Hilltoppers, who haven’t played a team of Marquette’s caliber in over two seasons.
Marquette played nine games against teams outside of the KenPom top 100 this year, going 9-0 with a 23.8 average margin of victory.
Healthier than they’ve been in weeks, expect the Golden Eagles to win this one in a rout.
WKU vs MARQ predictions:
- Marquette -14.5 (-110)
- Kam Jones over 19.5 points (-135)
The NCAA Tournament matchup between Western Kentucky and Marquette is shaping up to be an exciting and closely contested game. Both teams have had successful seasons and are looking to make a deep run in the tournament. As the game approaches, fans and analysts are making predictions, looking at the odds, and considering various props for this highly anticipated matchup.
Western Kentucky comes into the game as the underdog, but they have proven themselves to be a strong and resilient team throughout the season. Led by standout players like Charles Bassey and Taveion Hollingsworth, the Hilltoppers have the talent and experience to compete with any team in the tournament. They will look to use their size and athleticism to control the paint and dominate the boards against Marquette.
On the other hand, Marquette is a well-coached team with a high-powered offense that can score in bunches. Led by Markus Howard, one of the top scorers in the country, the Golden Eagles have the ability to light up the scoreboard and put pressure on their opponents. They will look to push the pace and create mismatches on offense to exploit Western Kentucky’s defense.
In terms of odds, Marquette is favored to win this matchup, but anything can happen in March Madness. The Hilltoppers have shown that they can compete with top teams and pull off upsets, so they should not be underestimated. The key for Western Kentucky will be to control the tempo of the game and limit Marquette’s scoring opportunities.
As for props, there are several interesting options to consider for this game. Bettors may want to look at prop bets related to individual player performances, such as over/under on points scored by Charles Bassey or Markus Howard. Other props could include total points scored in the game, margin of victory, or even a bet on whether there will be a buzzer-beater.
Overall, this NCAA Tournament matchup between Western Kentucky and Marquette has all the makings of a classic showdown. Both teams have the talent and motivation to come out on top, so it should be a thrilling game to watch. Fans and bettors alike will be eagerly anticipating the outcome of this exciting matchup.
