GOLDEN EAGLES: Marquette is one of four double digit seeds still alive in the NCAA Tournament. Besides VCU, the Golden Eagles are probably the biggest surprise of the Sweet 16 field. Marquette has beaten both Xavier and Syracuse in their first two NCAA Tournament games. The Golden Eagles are 22-14 SU and a profitable 20-11 ATS this season. Marquette is 4-3 SU and 5-2 ATS in neutral court settings this year. The Golden Eagles are 8-3 ATS as the listed underdog this season. Marquette has really picked up their defensive intensity of late, as they've allowed just 58.5 PPG so far in the tournament. G Darius Johnson-Odom leads Marquette in scoring this season, averaging 16 PPG. F Jimmy Butler is averaging 15.8 PPG and 6.1 RPG for the Golden Eagles this year. The Golden Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games. Marquette is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games as an underdog. The Golden Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. Marquette is 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games following an ATS win. The Golden Eagles are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games against the ACC. Marquette is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games following a SU win. The Golden Eagles are 23-11 ATS in their last 34 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%.
Golden Eagles are 14-5 ATS last 19 games as an underdog. Under is 13-3 last 16 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%.
Injuries: F Jamil Wilson (eligibility) is out.
TAR HEELS: (-4.5, O/U 150) North Carolina is averaging 94 PPG thus far in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels obviously have an explosive offense, that is gaining more and more steam. North Carolina is very young, but they are getting more and more confident by the day. Surviving Washington in their last game will serve them well moving forward in the NCAA Tournament. North Carolina is 28-7 SU and 15-16 ATS overall this year. The Tar Heels are 6-4 SU and 2-6 ATS in neutral court settings this season. Despite going 4-1 since the start of the ACC Conference Tournament, the Tar Heels have yet to win a game ATS. North Carolina is 9-9-1 ATS as a single digit favorite this season. Freshman sensation F Harrison Barnes leads North Carolina in scoring this year, averaging 15.5 PPG. F John Henson is averaging 11.9 PPG and a team high 10.1 RPG this season. The Tar Heels are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games as a favorite up to 6.5 points. The Tar Heels are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games following a SU win. North Carolina is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 Friday games. The Tar Heels are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%. North Carolina is 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Tar Heels are 10-3 ATS last 13 NCAA Tournament games as the listed favorite. Under is 4-0 last 4 games against the Big East Conference.
Injuries: G Reggie Bullock (knee) is out.
Podcast preview of all 4 Friday games [Pregame Podcasts]
Related reading: Sweet 16 preview [ESPN]
Projected score: North Carolina 83, Marquette 68