Travis Diener scored 26 points in Marquette's OT win over Mizzou. (AP)
Second-seeded Pittsburgh (28-4 straight up, 16-9 against the spread) will meet third-seeded Marquette at the Sweet 16 in Minneapolis on Thursday night. Sports books across Las Vegas are listing the Panthers as five-point favorites, with the total at 136 1/2.
Ben Howland's team advanced with a pair of double-digit wins at the Fleet Center in Boston last weekend. Pitt drilled Wagner 87-61 before dismantling Indiana by a 74-52 count.
The Panthers have won four in a row ATS and eight of their last 10.
When placed in the favorite role, Pitt has responded with a 16-7 spread record.
The 'under' has been a monster money maker in Pitt games, compiling a 14-4-1 mark.
This club is an absolute picture of balance, with all five starters averaging in double figures that range from leading scorer Julius Page's 12.2 points per game to Donatas Zavackus' 10.2 PPG.
Brandin Knight dominated Tom Coverdale in Pitt's win over IU. (AP)
Point guard Brandin Knight (10.6 PPG) is the catalyst and team leader in assists (166) and steals (50). The East Orange, N.J. product has struggled with several injuries this season, but he appeared 100 percent when he scored 17 points and dished out seven assists in Sunday's win over IU.
Pitt hasn't tasted defeat since a 73-61 loss at Seton Hall way back on Feb. 15. The Big East is 8-0 SU and 7-1 ATS in the Big Dance to date.
Marquette (25-5 SU, 17-9 ATS) is making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1994, when it upset Rick Pitino's Kentucky team in Orlando in the second round of the Tournament.
The Golden Eagles earned this trip the hard way after allowing a regulation lead to slip away, only to polish off Missouri in overtime, 101-92, as 2 1/2-point favorites.
Freshman Steve Novak buried three 3-pointers in the extra session, and Marquette didn't miss a shot en route to the winner's circle.
The 'over' has now appeared in three consecutive Marquette games.
Tom Crean's team is led by Dwyane Wade, who averages 21.9 PPG and 6.3 RPG. Wade is arguably one of the top five players in America, capable of carrying his squad.
Wade is the go-to guy but sophomore point guard Travis Diener is the key to this team. What a find this Wisconsin native was for Crean and his staff.
Diener came up big at crunch time of Marquette's first-round game versus Holy Cross. With the Golden Eagles leading 70-68 in the final minute and the shot clock winding down, Diener buried an 18-foot baseline jumper with a hand in his face after coming off a screen. The 72-68 win resulted in a pointspread cover for Holy Cross in a 9 1/2-point underdog role.
First-half gamblers backing Marquette came up short as well. The Golden Eagles allowed a nine-point lead to slip away, as Holy Cross put in a buzzer-beating layup to cut the deficit to five at intermission. Marquette had been tabbed a 5 1/2-point 'chalk' in the first half.
Diener was perfect at the charity stripe against Mizzou, in addition to draining 5-of-8 shots from beyond the arc. Wade added 24 points.
Robert Jackson, a transfer from Mississippi State, was limited to only 27 minutes against Mizzou because of foul trouble. Jackson (15.7 PPG) finished with only eight points and eight boards, but he is a force in the paint who gives the Golden Eagles an excellent inside presence.
Marquette is in the midst of a 13-6 ATS spree. It owns a 2-2 spread mark in the underdog role.
The Golden Eagles haven't advanced to the Final Four since Al McGuire's 1977 team cut the nets down in Atlanta.
Tip-off at the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome will come approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Wisconsin-Kentucky game. This is expected to be around 9:40 ET.
Second-seeded Pittsburgh (28-4 straight up, 16-9 against the spread) will meet third-seeded Marquette at the Sweet 16 in Minneapolis on Thursday night. Sports books across Las Vegas are listing the Panthers as five-point favorites, with the total at 136 1/2.
Ben Howland's team advanced with a pair of double-digit wins at the Fleet Center in Boston last weekend. Pitt drilled Wagner 87-61 before dismantling Indiana by a 74-52 count.
The Panthers have won four in a row ATS and eight of their last 10.
When placed in the favorite role, Pitt has responded with a 16-7 spread record.
The 'under' has been a monster money maker in Pitt games, compiling a 14-4-1 mark.
This club is an absolute picture of balance, with all five starters averaging in double figures that range from leading scorer Julius Page's 12.2 points per game to Donatas Zavackus' 10.2 PPG.
Brandin Knight dominated Tom Coverdale in Pitt's win over IU. (AP)
Point guard Brandin Knight (10.6 PPG) is the catalyst and team leader in assists (166) and steals (50). The East Orange, N.J. product has struggled with several injuries this season, but he appeared 100 percent when he scored 17 points and dished out seven assists in Sunday's win over IU.
Pitt hasn't tasted defeat since a 73-61 loss at Seton Hall way back on Feb. 15. The Big East is 8-0 SU and 7-1 ATS in the Big Dance to date.
Marquette (25-5 SU, 17-9 ATS) is making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1994, when it upset Rick Pitino's Kentucky team in Orlando in the second round of the Tournament.
The Golden Eagles earned this trip the hard way after allowing a regulation lead to slip away, only to polish off Missouri in overtime, 101-92, as 2 1/2-point favorites.
Freshman Steve Novak buried three 3-pointers in the extra session, and Marquette didn't miss a shot en route to the winner's circle.
The 'over' has now appeared in three consecutive Marquette games.
Tom Crean's team is led by Dwyane Wade, who averages 21.9 PPG and 6.3 RPG. Wade is arguably one of the top five players in America, capable of carrying his squad.
Wade is the go-to guy but sophomore point guard Travis Diener is the key to this team. What a find this Wisconsin native was for Crean and his staff.
Diener came up big at crunch time of Marquette's first-round game versus Holy Cross. With the Golden Eagles leading 70-68 in the final minute and the shot clock winding down, Diener buried an 18-foot baseline jumper with a hand in his face after coming off a screen. The 72-68 win resulted in a pointspread cover for Holy Cross in a 9 1/2-point underdog role.
First-half gamblers backing Marquette came up short as well. The Golden Eagles allowed a nine-point lead to slip away, as Holy Cross put in a buzzer-beating layup to cut the deficit to five at intermission. Marquette had been tabbed a 5 1/2-point 'chalk' in the first half.
Diener was perfect at the charity stripe against Mizzou, in addition to draining 5-of-8 shots from beyond the arc. Wade added 24 points.
Robert Jackson, a transfer from Mississippi State, was limited to only 27 minutes against Mizzou because of foul trouble. Jackson (15.7 PPG) finished with only eight points and eight boards, but he is a force in the paint who gives the Golden Eagles an excellent inside presence.
Marquette is in the midst of a 13-6 ATS spree. It owns a 2-2 spread mark in the underdog role.
The Golden Eagles haven't advanced to the Final Four since Al McGuire's 1977 team cut the nets down in Atlanta.
Tip-off at the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome will come approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Wisconsin-Kentucky game. This is expected to be around 9:40 ET.
