WKU vs Marquette Picks, Props: Our Expert Gives His Best Bet

Rob Paul

Last Updated: March 22, 2024 11:50 AM EDT • 3 min 56 sec read. Twitter link Google News Link

The No. 15 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will face a tough challenge when they clash with the No. 2 Marquette Golden Eagles during the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, as we offer our top Western Kentucky vs. Marquette picks based on the best March Madness odds.

The Marquette Golden Eagles are still top contenders in the March Madness odds despite losing three games to the No. 1 UConn Huskies throughout the season. They begin their NCAA Tournament with a tilt against the high-scoring Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, who recently won the C-USA Tournament.

Marquette is the 14.5-point favorite at our best sports betting apps, especially with point guard Tyler Kolek likely returning. He was the Big East Player of the Year in 2022-23, and even if he's limited, the Golden Eagles possess multiple skilled scorers beyond him, which will lead to a high-scoring affair.

As part of our March Madness predictions, here is our best Western Kentucky vs. Marquette prediction and college basketball picks (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Western Kentucky vs. Marquette odds

Western Kentucky (15) vs. Marquette (2) prediction: South Region

Kam Jones Over 19.5 points ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: -114 via FanDuel

No team in college basketball plays at a higher pace than the Hilltoppers. Head coach Steve Lutz likes to play fast and Western Kentucky ranks first in adjusted tempo, per KenPom. That style of play may lead to plenty of points, but it also gives opponents far more opportunities to light up the scoreboard. Western Kentucky allows the 24th most field goal attempts in the country this season (62.9) and the 28th most 3-point attempts per game (25.5).

That gives Kam Jones a chance to have a big opening game in the NCAA Tournament. Jones has helped the Golden Eagles put up 78.3 points per game this season while ranking 21st in adjusted offensive efficiency. When Kolek was out, it was Jones who kept the offense humming and he's coming off five 23-plus point performances in his last nine games.

Jones leads Marquette in points per game (16.8) and 3-point percentage (41.1%) this season and took it up a notch in Big East play against some of the best teams in the country. In conference games he averaged 17.3 points while hitting a team-high 2.7 3-pointers per game.

His ability from behind the arc will come in handy against the Hilltoppers. Western Kentucky took advantage of a weak non-conference schedule and juiced up its defensive numbers, but in C-USA play it struggled while allowing the most 3-pointers per game (9.3) as teams shot 34.5% from deep. That opens the door for Jones to stuff the stat sheet Friday.

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Western Kentucky vs. Marquette best odds

FanDuel (-114)

DraftKings	FanDuel	BetMGM	Caesars	bet365
Kam Jones Over 19.5 points	Kam Jones Over 19.5 points	N/A	N/A	Kam Jones Over 19.5 points
-135	-114	N/A	N/A	-125

With three of our best sports betting apps offering player props on this matchup at the time of writing, FanDuel stands out for its value. Jones' odds of scoring at least 20 points are noticeably longer at FanDuel compared to DraftKings and bet365. We'd take Jones Over 19.5 points with odds as short as -125, and we'd take the Over on his points up to 21.5 with those odds.

It's no surprise to see his odds as short as -135 after averaging 23.3 points over his last nine games, and that's why we love the value at FanDuel. While the -135 odds imply a 57.45% probability Jones finishes with at least 20 points, according to our odds calculator, a $10 bet at -114 odds results in a $8.77 profit.

Western Kentucky vs. Marquette spread & Over/Under analysis

Marquette has been one of the best teams in the country for much of the season and is among the teams with the shortest Final Four odds. That's why the Golden Eagles opened as a heavy 14.5 to 15-point favorite across our best live betting sites. If Kolek plays, that number could grow even larger, but with his status up in the air for now, BetMGM has Marquette favored by just 13.5. The Golden Eagles are 20-13-1 ATS this season while Western Kentucky is 19-11.

Given the Hilltoppers' style of play, the game total opened as high as 158.5 and has seen some movement. Most of our best sportsbooks are hovering between 157.5 and 158.5. Marquette is just 14-20 betting the Over this season and Western Kentucky is an even 15-15.

Western Kentucky vs. Marquette game info

When: Friday, March 22
Tip-off: 2 p.m. ET
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.
How to watch: TBS

Western Kentucky-Marquette prediction made Monday at 2:45 p.m. ET.

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Written By:
Rob Paul

Rob is a Publishing Editor at Sportsbook Review. He’s been with the team since early 2024, with this being his first full-time role in the sports betting industry. Before joining SportsbookReview.com, he contributed to various sports outlets, including FanSided and Pro Football Network. During that period, he spent five years working full-time as a local community journalist, after attending Durham College for journalism and Wilfrid Laurier University for history. He previously hosted an NFL draft and college football-focused podcast where he had the opportunity to interact with future NFL players such as Maxx Crosby and Quinn Meinerz. Rob has spent multiple years working as a freelance podcast producer for numerous sports-related podcasts while making guest appearances on several college football shows. He’s also made guest appearances on SportsTalk Mississippi on several occasions to talk all things NFL draft. Rob values the way sports betting acts as a catalyst for telling stories and growing interest in certain sports, particularly FCS football, WNBA, and mid-major college basketball. He’s always been drawn to the more obscure teams and conferences in major college sports, but most of all, Rob loves using stats to find the best player props to back.