NIT Predictions: Will Marquette eliminate Penn State on Tuesday? 3/20/18

Marquette vs. Penn State NIT Prediction

Will Marquette eliminate Penn State from the NIT on Tuesday night when the two teams meet in the quarterfinal?

Game Snapshot

(665) Penn State Nittany Lions at (666) Marquette Golden Eagles

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

TV: ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET

CURRENT ODDS

According to oddsmakers from online sports book YouWager, the Golden Eagles are 2.5-point home favorites to knock off the Nittany Lions, while the over/under for tonight's game sits at 153 points.

LINE MOVEMENT

After opening as only a 1.5-point favorite, Marquette is now -2.5 at the majority of online sportsbooks. The total, meanwhile, hit the board at 153 and that's where the number currently sits.

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PUBLIC BETTING INFORMATION

As of this writing, 60% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Golden Eagles to cover the small point spread. Meanwhile, the majority of betting tickets are also on the over.

KEY INJURIES

Mike Watkins remains out for PSU due to a knee injury while Nazeer Bostick (disciplinary) is questionable for the Nittany Lions. The only player listed on Marquette's injury report is Haanif Cheatham (personal), who has been out for the year since the end of November.

BETTING STRATEGIES

For as good as Penn State has been defensively thus far, I'm going to take the team that can bomb from 3-point land. The Golden Eagles rank fourth nationally in 3-point shooting and knocked down 12-of-26 shots from beyond the arc in their 101-92 victory over Oregon in the second round of the NIT. They scored 58 points before halftime as Andrew Rowsey scored 29 points and added nine assists. Whether it's the NCAA tournament, the NIT or the CBI, the teams that can hit their threes are having a ton of success. Marquette is also 6-2 against the spread in its last eight games when facing an opponent with a winning record.

 

NIT COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREDICTION: MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES -2.5