Xavier vs. Marquette: Big East Clash | January 7, 2026
Written by: Colby Marchio
Published: Wed Jan 07, 2026, 3:04 pm ET
Read Time: 4 minutes
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Wednesday night brings a high tempo Big East battle to Milwaukee as Marquette hosts Xavier. Both teams enter searching for momentum after recent losses, making this a critical spot for each side. Expect pace to be a major factor, with both offenses comfortable pushing the ball and creating early looks. Xavier looks to lean on its efficient shooting and ball movement, while Marquette tries to rediscover defensive consistency at home. With points expected to come in bunches, this matchup sets up as an entertaining clash where execution and discipline could decide who finally snaps their skid.
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Last 7 Days: 8-8 (-1.3 Units)
Last 30 Days: 24-30 (-11.18 Units)
Xavier vs. Marquette Odds
Can the Musketeers take down the Golden Eagles on the road?
You can find all of these great College Basketball odds on Lucky Rebel. Get a $1,250 deposit bonus & 50 Slot Spins when you sign up!
Spread
Xavier: +4.5 (-110)
Marquette: -4.5 (-110)
Total
Over: 160.0 (-111)
Under: 160.0 (-109)
Moneyline
Xavier: +157
Marquette: -193
Xavier vs. Marquette Bet
We have a fun and exciting Big East matchup going down in the big cheese state of Wisconsin. The Marquette Golden Eagles host the Xavier Musketeers in this Wednesday night clash. Both teams are riding losing streaks and are looking to put those to rest this evening. The Golden Eagles have been abysmal all season long. Was covering against UConn in their previous matchup their Super Bowl, or was that the turning point for this struggling Marquette team? Let us dive into this matchup, because I still want to fade them.
Spaceballs Speed
This matchup should be played at a ludicrous speed, as both Xavier and Marquette sit just outside the top 50 in pace. Points should not be a premium this evening in Milwaukee. I am expecting a lot of scoring, but I do not want to worry about trusting the struggling fighting Shaka Smarts. Instead, I went another route by taking the Musketeers team total over 76.5. This feels like a safer way to lean into the pace of play while fading the hometown team and avoiding the need for Xavier to cover the 4.5.
Revolving Door Defense
So far this season away from home, Xavier has gone over this number in four of their five away and neutral matchups. On the year, they are averaging 76.2 points per game. At home this season, the Golden Eagles are allowing 84.5 points per game, while giving up 77.1 points per game overall. In five of their last six home games, a team has surpassed this number. The Golden Eagles have struggled on the defensive side all season long.
In the Musketeers five games away from home, they have maintained a top 100 offense. They excel at generating efficient looks from deep, protecting the basketball, and moving the ball. If they can establish their style on the road inside Marquette's home gym, I am not concerned about them finding success.
On the other side, the Golden Eagles have struggled at home with blocking shots, securing rebounds, and keeping teams off the free throw line. Xavier has had issues getting to the line this season, but on the road they rank 153rd in free throw percentage. Through four conference games, Marquette sits near the bottom of the league in rebounding on both ends and defending the interior. If Xavier can attack the glass efficiently, they should continue to find the same success as Marquette's previous opponents.
Best Bet: Xavier Team Total Over 76.5 (-120) on Lucky Rebel
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Former D1 (club) baseball player, Colby has been betting since his college days at DePaul, where he had to endure the worst collegiate basketball the Big East has ever seen. He is an advanced analytics nerd and has never seen an underdog he has not liked. Hot. Corn. Bull. It does not matter the dog he loves them all.
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