Western Kentucky vs Marquette Picks and Prediction – 3/22/2024

On Friday, the 15th seed Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (22-11) face off against the 2nd seed Marquette Golden Eagles (25-9) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana in the 1st Round in the South Region of the March Madness tournament. Kam Jones scored 13 points for the Golden Eagles in their 73-57 loss to 2nd ranked UConn. Make sure you stay up to date with College Basketball with our expert College Basketball picks.

Marquette comes into this matchup as the 2nd seed in the South Region of the March Madness tournament. Marquette is on a one-game losing streak, but has won three of their last five games. Kam Jones leads Marquette in scoring, averaging 16.8 points. Tyler Kolek is their second-leading scorer with an average of 15 points scored each game. Marquette’s rebounds-leader, Oso Ighodaro, leads with 6.9 rebounds on average per game. Tyler Kolek leads the Golden Eagles in assists, averaging 7.6 per game. In their last five games, Marquette has scored an average of 72 points and finished four games behind UConn for first place in the Big East Conference standings. Marquette is hoping to fend off Western Kentucky, and dominate the backboards. Overall, the Golden Eagles score an average of 78.3 points per game.

Western Kentucky, currently seeded 15th in the South Region of the March Madness tournament, is entering the game against Marquette with a promising winning streak. They have won three out of their last five games, including a notable 78-71 victory over UTEP where Don McHenry scored 25 points. McHenry leads the team in scoring with an average of 15.2 points per game, followed by Brandon Newman with 10.5 points per game. Babacar Faye leads Western Kentucky in rebounds, averaging 5.6 per game, while Jalen Jackson leads in assists with an average of 2.5 per game. Throughout their last five games, Western Kentucky has shown a strong offensive performance, averaging 82.8 points per game. Despite finishing behind Sam Houston in the Conference USA standings, they are aiming for a significant upset against Marquette and are relying on their offense to shine in this crucial matchup. Overall, the Hilltoppers score an average of 79.1 points per game and are hoping to continue their impressive streak in the tournament.