Free NCAA Hoops Pick: Racers vs. Golden Eagles CBB Odds
Looking for Murray State Racers vs. Marquette Golden Eagles NCAA basketball free tournament picks & CBB odds? CBB betting sees the Racers taking on the Golden Eagles on Thursday, March 21st, 2019 at the XL Center, Hartford, CT. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all college basketball matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily NCAA tournament basketball predictions like this Racers Golden Eagles march madness matchup.
(27-4) Murray State Racers vs. Marquette Golden Eagles (24-9)
March Madness: Round 1 – West Region
Date: Thursday, March 21st, 2019
Time: 4:30 PM ET
Venue: XL Center, Hartford, CT
CBB Moneyline Odds: OFF
CBB Betting Odds: Marquette Golden Eagles -4.5
CBB Betting Total: 149.5
Live CBB Odds
Updated Sportsbook Bonuses For TodayClick here to view… CBB ATS Stats & Expert NCAAB Betting Insight for this game!
As one of the most intriguing matchups on the opening round, we are lucky enough to get to see Ja Morant and Markus Howard battle in a round 1 game.
These two teams last met in 2012, where the Golden Eagles won the game 62-53.
Murray State Racers
The Racers have been electric all season long and that mainly has to do with the fact that they have NBA prospect, Ja Morant as their leader. Morant led the Racers to an Ohio Valley Conference championship when they took down Belmont a week or so ago. Now Morant gets to show his offensive skill set on national television and you can bet that NBA scouts will be watching closely.
Speaking of Morant, the Racers’ leading scorer averages 24.6 points per game and 10 assists per game. Not only does he know how to score, but he also shoots the ball at 50.3% from the field. For a Murray State team that averages 83.3 points per game, it is vital that Morant has an amazing game. If Morant struggles in the early parts of this matchup, the Racers will really struggle to keep up with the Golden Eagles.
[dfads params=’groups=20599&limit=1&return_javascript=1′]
Speaking of keeping up with the Golden Eagles, Murray State will need to focus on defending the three-point line. The Racers are 4th in this category and only allow teams to shoot 28.3% from deep range, so if they are going to pull off this upset, defending the three is a must.
Marquette Golden Eagles
While the Racers may have Ja Morant, the Golden Eagles have a superstar of their own in Markus Howard. Howard actually scores more points per game than Morant and has done so against tough opponents. That does not mean he will outscore Morant guaranteed, it just shows that Howard is also know for his ability to take over games.
The Golden Eagles have a less explosive offense than the Racers, but what they do have is three-point shooting. They knock down the three at 39.3%, which is 10th in the country.
They also shoot free-throws at a high rate (75.9%), which could be vital to the outcome if the game is close at the end.
Check out the free sports picks from Cappers Picks experts today!
There is not really a stand out stat from this Golden Eagles defense, so the main factor that will dictate the outcome is slowing down Ja Morant. Without the scoring from Morant, the Racers are very vulnerable so expect the defensive game-plan to be set around the Racers’ best player.
CBB Betting Trends:
- MARQ are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 Thu. games
- Over is 12-5 in MURR last 17 Thu. games.
Free Murray State Racers vs. Marquette Golden Eagles NCAAB Prediction:
As it stands right now, Markus Howard is questionable for this first round game. If Howard is out, Murray State could win by a considerable margin. If Howard plays, I still like the Racers, but it will be a much closer outcome. Either way, this is going to be one of the most popular upset picks and rightly so as Murray State will be the first 12 seed to advance this year.
4* Free CBB Betting Pick: Murray State Racers +4.5
Ja Morant is too good and leads the Racers to the round of 32.
NCAAB Free Score Prediction: Murray State 83 – Marquette 80
If you’re looking for more College basketball Tournament picks like this Murray State Racers vs. Marquette Golden Eagles matchup we’ll be providing 4* free college basketball predictions on the blog all March Madness long, and check out our Experts for guaranteed premium & free NCAAB Hoops picks!
CappersPicks.com has NCAA basketball odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find DAILY CBB lines up as well.