The Marquette Golden Eagles take on the Villanova Wildcats in Philadelphia, PA. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on FS1.
Marquette is favored by 1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -125. The total is set at 142.5 points.
Here are my Marquette vs. Villanova predictions and college basketball picks for February 21, 2025.
Marquette vs Villanova Prediction
My Pick: Villanova +1.5 (Play to -3.5)
My Marquette vs Villanova best bet is on the Wildcats spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Marquette vs Villanova Odds, Lines
| Marquette Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 142.5 -110 / -110 | -125 |
| Villanova Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 142.5 -110 / -110 | +105 |
- Marquette vs Villanova spread: Marquette -1.5
- Marquette vs Villanova over/under: 142.5 points
- Marquette vs Villanova moneyline: Marquette -125, Villanova +105
- Marquette vs Villanova best bet: Villanova +1.5 (Play to -3.5)
My Marquette vs Villanova NCAAB Betting Preview
No. 16 Marquette has steadied the ship with back-to-back victories after a three-game skid. Most recently, the Golden Eagles posted a 80-56 rout of Seton Hall. The Golden Eagles are tied with Creighton for second place in the Big East, behind only St. John's.
Meanwhile, Villanova has lost back-to-back games but can't be overlooked at home. The Wildcats are 12-3 at home and have upset three ranked squads at Finneran Pavilion.
Villanova beat then-No. 14 Cincinnati 68-60 on Dec. 3. Villanova edged then-No. 9 UConn 68-66 on Jan. 8. Villanova also narrowly defeated then-No. 9 St. John's 73-71 on Feb. 12.
The motivation is significant for both teams. Marquette is looking to enhance its resume for seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Villanova is on the bubble and needs more quality victories down the stretch.
Marquette has dominated the series vs. Villanova recently. The Golden Eagles are riding an eight-game winning streak against the Wildcats. In the previous meeting this season, Marquette beat Villanova 87-74 behind 21 points from guard Stevie Mitchell.
Villanova's offense has struggled in conference play. The Wildcats have only scored 80+ points twice in Big East games. Forward Eric Dixon (22.9 points) is one of the most elite scorers in the nation but is currently in a drought. Dixon has shot below 40% in five of the last six games.
This game will largely be determined by which team most demonstrates patience and ball movement offensively. Marquette and Villanova are third and fourth, respectively, in the Big East in points per game allowed.
3-point shooting will also play a major role in the outcome.
Villanova is first in the Big East in 3-point percentage (39.6), as Dixon (41.8%) and guard Wooga Poplar (39.8%) have been lights out this season.
Marquette is third in the Big East in 3-point defense (30.9%). Mitchell and guard Chase Ross have placed plenty of perimeter pressure on opposing backcourts.
Expect this to be a tight contest that's determined in clutch time. Villanova will continue its home magic against ranked teams and earn another signature victory.
