The #9 Marquette Golden Eagles will have a road test on Tuesday night in Big East Conference play against the Villanova Wildcats with tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Marquette has a 15-5 overall record and they are currently in third place in conference play with a 6-3 record.
As for Villanova, this feels like a must-win game for them because they are currently a bubble team for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats have an 11-9 overall record and a 4-5 conference record. Villanova is tied for eighth in the conference with the Xavier Musketeers. The last time Marquette and Villanova faced each other, the Golden Eagles took down the Wildcats by a final score of 87-74 on 1/15.
In the last game for the Golden Eagles on Saturday, they hosted the Seton Hall Pirates and they won that game easily 75-57 and head coach Shaka Smart’s squad has won four conference games. Three players scored in double figures in that game for Marquette. Oso Ighodaro scored 21 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and recorded four assists.
David Joplin scored 20 points and Stevie Mitchell also added 13 points. Tyler Kolek also added 10 assists in the game for the Marquette Golden Eagles despite only scoring four points in the game. Marquette got away with Kolek scoring in single digits in this one.
Villanova Wildcats Players To Watch For In This Matchup Against the Marquette Golden Eagles
Villanova lost their last game on the road against the Butler Bulldogs on Saturday by a final score of 88-81 in double overtime. Kyle Neptune’s squad is currently on a four-game losing streak and the last game they won in conference play was against the DePaul Blue Demons on 1/12, 94-69.
The Wildcats had four players score in double figures on Saturday against the Bulldogs. Eric Dixon scored 28 points, grabbed six rebounds, and recorded five assists. TJ Bamba scored 14 points for Villanova. Tyler Burton had a double-double for the Villanova Wildcats with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Hakim Hart also added 10 points for Villanova.
This is a college basketball game where the Marquette Golden Eagles should be able to care of business on the road. However, the Villanova Wildcats are in must-win territory and they have to throw everything they have in order to end this four-game losing skid. It’s possible that the final score is something like 64-59 Marquette over Villanova.