Iowa State vs. Marquette: Odds, Analysis, and Prediction

Marquette Golden Eagles (8-0 SU, 5-2-1 ATS) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (5-1 SU, 3-3 ATS)

When: Wednesday, December 4th, 8:00 PM (ET)

Where: Hilton Coliseum, IA, Ames

TV: ESPN+

Point Spread: MARQ +5.5/IOWAST -5.5

Total: 150

Money Line: Marquette Golden Eagles +200/-264

Notable Injuries

Golden Eagles

• Sean Jones (Questionable) Knee
• Zaide Lowery (Out) Knee

Cyclones

• Conrad Hawley (Out) Shoulder

Recent Form

Marquette Golden Eagles Recent Game/Games

Marquette improved to 8-0 on the season with a 94-62 win over Western Carolina on Saturday. The Golden Eagles were heavy favorites at -32.5 but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 156, surpassing the over/under line of 149.5.

Marquette led 49-30 at halftime and continued their strong play in the second half, outscoring the Catamounts 45-32.

Iowa State improved to 5-1 on the season with a 99-71 win over Colorado on Wednesday. The Cyclones, who were -13.5 point favorites, covered the spread at home. The game’s total points reached 170, surpassing the O/U line of 144.5.

Leading 45-34 at halftime, Iowa State put up 54 points in the 2nd half while holding Colorado to 37 points, showcasing their offensive and defensive strengths.

Analysis

Marquette’s offense was clicking in their last game, putting up 94 points on 51.4% shooting from the field. They were especially effective inside, hitting 71.9% of their two-point attempts while connecting on 35% from beyond the arc, making 14 threes.

Kam Jones led the way with 20 points and ten assists, shooting 64.3% overall and 50% from three. The Golden Eagles finished with an effective field goal percentage of 61.1% and dished out 21 assists as a team.

Despite Marquette’s defensive struggles, they managed to hold their opponent to 62 points. The Golden Eagles allowed a 51% shooting performance, with their opponent hitting 37 of 72 shots.

Inside the arc, Marquette’s defense gave up 23 of 32 attempts for 71%. From three-point range, their opponent shot 35%, making 14 of 40. Marquette also sent them to the line 10 times, where they converted six free throws.

Iowa State’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their latest game, putting up 99 points while shooting 60.3% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 69%, thanks in part to their 72.7% shooting on two-pointers and 44% from beyond the arc.

Milan Momcilovic led the way, hitting 6 of 9 threes and finishing with 24 points. Julian Hammond III added 20 points, and Curtis Jones contributed 19 points and six rebounds. Keshon Gilbert chipped in 15 points and six assists.

Defensively, Iowa State struggled, giving up 71 points on 60% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 35 of 58 shots.

The Cyclones had trouble inside, where they allowed 24 two-pointers on 33 attempts, a 72% success rate. From beyond the arc, their opponent shot 44%, making 11 of 25 threes.

Betting Trends

• The Golden Eagles are 2-1 ATS in their three last road games and 2-1 straight-up.
• When looking at their past three matchups at home, Iowa State has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 79 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• The last three games that Marquette was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
• As the betting favorite, the Cyclones have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight-up record was 3-0.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

This will be a fun one to watch in Ames tonight, as we have a top-10 early-season matchup. Even with their undefeated record, the Golden Eagles are +5.5 point underdogs. Marquette has had a few tough games already this season, including wins over Purdue, Maryland, and Georgia, while the Cyclones have only lost to 2nd-ranked Auburn and have wins over Dayton and Colorado. I see Marquette’s lack of inside presence catching up to them tonight, but I think this one comes right down to the wire. I like Iowa State to win, but Marquette to cover at +5.5.