Xavier Musketeers vs. Marquette Golden Eagles College Basketball Preview

The Xavier Musketeers will look to sweep the season series against the Marquette Golden Eagles on Wednesday when the two meet in Milwaukee. 

The Musketeers squeaked out a four-point victory at the Cintas Center in mid-January to take the first meeting. The Golden Eagles are a (-6) home favorite with a total currently set at 159.5 points. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 PM EST tip-off from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI, and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. 

Matchup History

Predictably, this series dates way back to the 1958-59 season, and the two programs have met 82 times in the history. Unpredictably, Marquette has dominated the series by a count of 55-27. Since the 2018-19 season, the Golden Eagles have doubled up the Musketeers, winning six of the nine meetings though Xavier did defeat Marquette earlier this season, as mentioned above.

Marquette Golden Eagles Team Overview

In the past, Marquette has been one of least trustworthy teams in the nation in both straight-up and spread situations. That has changed this season as this is more of a team and less of an individual superstar carrying the program. The Golden Eagles currently boast four players averaging double-digit points on the season and have climbed to the third-best team in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency. 

The Golden Eagles are also the best team in the Big East against the spread on the season at 17-8-1. They are outperforming the number by +3.4 points per contest with a double-digit margin of victory of 10.5 points per game. 

At home, their margin of victory increases to 14 points per game, and their record is an above-average 9-5 ATS. Straight up, Shaka Smart’s club has been excellent at home with a sparkling 13-1 record. 

Xavier Musketeers Team Overview

The Musketeers were one of the best stories in college basketball with the return of Sean Miller to the sideline and their 18-5 start to the season. They have been hit with some misfortune, however, as star forward Zach Freemantle is once again sidelined with injury. The team's second-leading scorer and leading rebounder is expected to miss two more weeks with a foot injury but return in time for the NCAA Tournament. 

As a road team, this Xavier club has been just mediocre against the number on the season at just 4-4. They have fallen in three of their last four road games straight up and failed to cover in three of those four contests as well. Overall, the Musketeers have covered in just two of their last eight games, indicating how much they are missing their superstar. 

The Expectation

This could prove to be a tall order for Coach Miller’s group, as Marquette is so well-balanced and protective of their home court. In the past, this would be an excellent spot to fade an inconsistent Marquette squad, but this is not the same type of team as recent seasons.