Today's Line

[We R Final Four]

For the betting types.  MU +11.  Have no basis for this, but I do think that we will cover.  Have a hard time with a win.

[brewcity77]

I think we cover too. I know it's been disrupted a bit of late, but Buzz still rarely loses by double-digits, and has had very few double-digit losses in road games. My hope is that Syracuse really wants us to pay for knocking them out last year. If they're pressing, that will help us when they gamble and miss on steals and in terms of fouls and free throws. I actually feel better about this one than I did about Georgetown. It makes little sense to me, because I definitely feel Syracuse is the better team, but I still think we can win this.

[bilsu]

If I were in Vegas i would be betting on Syracuse. I think they win by 22.

[The Maestro]

MU is 1-6-1 against the spread the last 8 games with Georgetown being the only game to cover.

[79Warrior]

For the betting types.  MU +11.  Have no basis for this, but I do think that we will cover.  Have a hard time with a win.

I would lay the 11. Marquette does not have the players to keep up with Cuse.

[wheresthecake?]

Syracuse opened as an 11.5-point favorite with the total at 148 on college basketball odds. Marquette is 4-7-1 ATS this season and 2-1 ATS on road. SU is 11-4 ATS overall and 7-3 at home. 'Over/under' records: MU 7-5, SU 8-6-1.

Marquette has covered just once in its past eight games. The Orange are 5-0 ATS in past five Saturday games. The 'under' is 7-1 in Marquette's past eight road games. The 'over' is 6-1 in SU's past seven.


This is essentially going to come down to whether MU's two stars, Darius Johnson-Odom (17.9 ppg) and Jae Crowder (16.6 ppg, 7.3 rebounds per game) can outplay the 10-strong SU group.

The Golden Eagles' bench is pretty much freshman Todd Mayo (10.2 ppg) and sophomore Davante Gardner (he has started some) and not much else. Starting center Chris Otule has been out with a knee injury since early December, and the Golden Eagles' next tallest player is the 6-foot-8 Gardner.

MU might catch a break in that Baye Moussa Keita, who averages about 12 minutes a game as seven-footer Fab Melo's backup at center, may have to sit out a second straight game due to a hip injury. So if he is out and Marquette can get Melo in foul trouble, that could be significant. Otherwise, Melo should dominate the small Golden Eagles inside.

I think that's what happens. Take Syracuse and the 'under' despite the fact these schools are Nos. 1-2 in scoring in the Big East.

[godzilla]

Orangemen by 15, imo.

Too talented and too deep for MU.

[ecompt]

I think it will be a 10-point game with 10 minutes left and then SU goes on a 12-0 run to put it away. This team dresses 19 players, and they're all good.