Vegas NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Marquette vs Notre Dame

Saturday, February 04, 2012

by Joe Rodriguez

Eric Atkins - Vegas NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Marquette vs Notre Dame

Two hot teams collide when Notre Dame Fighting Irish brings its three-game winning streak back home to host No. 15 Marquette Golden Eagles, which has won seven straight.

The Fighting Irish are currently in fourth place in the conference, while Marquette is second. On paper it looks like a battle between Marquette's prolific offense (76.1 points) against Notre Dame's defense, which leads the Big East by allowing only 58.2 points.

Notre Dame has limited its last three Big East opponents to only 49.3 points. Notre Dame leads the all-time series 79-36, but Marquette leads the series 6-4 since joining the Big East. The teams split two meetings last year.

- Marquette Golden Eagles @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
When: 1:00 PM ET, Saturday, February 4, 2012
Where: Joyce Center, South Bend, Indiana
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Check Live NCAA Basketball Odds on Justbet Sportsbook .

Justbet Sportsbook currently have the Golden Eagles listed as 2-point favorites versus the Fighting Irish.

Marquette Golden Eagles (19-4): Improved defense has been crucial during the current winning streak, as the Golden Eagles are holding opponents to just 39.8 percent from the floor. Otherwise the team's shooting percentages are similar, slightly higher on 3-pointers, but slightly lower on all field goals. Jae Crowder (16.6 points, 7.6 rebounds) has had two straight double-doubles and has seven this season. Crowder is also 21st in the nation with 2.3 steals per game. Darius Johnson-Odom (18.3 points, 3.6 rebounds) was named Big East Player of the Week after averaging 21.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in two wins. Davante Gardner (9.8 points 5.4 rebounds) remains questionable with a left knee injury; he didn't play against Seton Hall.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-8): The Irish continue to slow the game down and spread the scoring chores around, with three players averaging double figures: Eric Atkins (12.9), Jerian Grant (12.7) and Jack Cooley (10.7). The balance became especially necessary when Tim Abromaitis was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Atkins averaged 13.5 points in two games with Marquette last season. Grant has 17 double-figure games and has led the team in scoring five times. Seven different players have led the team in scoring. Cooley, who also average 8.4 rebounds, leads the league with six double-doubles and is third in the conference with a 59.4 shooting percentage. Three Irish players are playing more than 35 minutes per game in conference play.

1. Notre Dame has a plus-4.6 rebounding margin in its 14 wins and has been outrebounded by an 8.7 margin in their eight losses.

2. A win would give Marquette 20 wins for the seventh straight season.

3. Notre Dame is 95-7 over its last 102 home games.

BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Fighting Irish 66, Golden Eagles 63.

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darius johnson-odom - davante gardner - eric atkins - jack cooley - jae crowder - jerian grant - joyce center - marquette golden eagles - notre dame fighting irish - tim abromaitis