A Big East conference clash is on tap as the struggling Marquette Golden Eagles travel to Chicago to take on the DePaul Blue Demons. While rivalries can often defy the form book, the data points towards a clear disparity between a team that can’t win on the road and a team that consistently protects its home court. We’ll break down the odds, analyze the trends, and deliver a sharp betting prediction for this Friday night matchup.
1. Game Overview:
- Matchup: Marquette Golden Eagles (Away) vs. DePaul Blue Demons (Home)
- Date: Friday, January 16, 2026
- Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
- Time: 8:30 PM ET
- TV: FOX Sports 1 (FS1)
2. Team Form and Analysis:
Marquette Golden Eagles: The Golden Eagles are in the midst of a deeply disappointing season. Their recent form is characterized by an inability to close out games, particularly away from their home floor. Their primary weakness is a complete failure to perform on the road, where they have yet to secure a victory this season. This points to a lack of resilience and an offense that becomes stagnant in hostile environments. Without a signature road win, it’s difficult to find confidence in Marquette’s ability to turn their season around, especially in a tough conference game.
DePaul Blue Demons: In contrast, the DePaul Blue Demons have put together a solid campaign, largely built on the back of their strong performances at Wintrust Arena. While not a world-beater, DePaul has proven to be a tough out, playing disciplined basketball and leveraging their home-court advantage effectively. Their strength lies in their consistency at home, where they have secured the vast majority of their wins. They enter this matchup as the clear favorite, expecting to handle a conference opponent that has shown no ability to compete on the road.
3. Standings & Trends Analysis:
The statistical trends for these two teams paint a stark and opposing picture, providing a powerful angle for this matchup.
Marquette Golden Eagles (Away):
- Overall Record: A discouraging 6-11.
- Away Record: A perfect 0-4. The Golden Eagles are winless on the road, a glaring red flag for any bettor.
- ATS Record (Overall): A dismal 5-12 Against the Spread. They are consistently failing to meet market expectations.
- ATS Record (Away): A poor 1-3 ATS on the road. Not only are they losing, but they are also not keeping games close.
- Over/Under Record: A slightly under-leaning 7-9-1 overall, but a staggering 1-3 O/U in away games, indicating their offense travels very poorly.
DePaul Blue Demons (Home):
- Overall Record: A respectable 10-7.
- Home Record: A dominant 8-3. The Blue Demons are a formidable team in Chicago.
- ATS Record (Overall): An excellent 11-6 ATS. They have been a highly profitable team for bettors this season.
- ATS Record (Home): A solid 6-5 ATS at home, showing they cover spreads even when favored.
- Over/Under Record: A significant trend to the under at 5-12 O/U overall and 4-7 O/U at home. This team plays a style that results in lower-scoring games.
4. Betting Odds Analysis:
- Moneyline: DePaul -194 | Marquette +160
- Point Spread: DePaul -3.5 (-120) | Marquette +3.5 (-102)
- Total: 144.5 (Over -110 / Under -110)
The odds establish DePaul as a firm home favorite, with the -194 moneyline implying roughly a 66% probability of winning the game outright. The point spread of -3.5 is small, suggesting oddsmakers expect a single-digit game but give a clear edge to the Blue Demons. The increased juice on DePaul’s side of the spread (-120) indicates that the market is already favoring them to cover. The game total of 144.5 points is notable, as it suggests a fairly high-scoring affair, which directly contradicts the strong Under trends for both teams, particularly DePaul (5-12 O/U).
5. Prediction & Betting Angle:
This matchup presents one of the clearest betting angles based on home/away splits. Marquette is not just bad on the road; they are winless (0-4). They also fail to cover the spread in those situations, going 1-3 ATS. Conversely, DePaul is a powerhouse at home, boasting an 8-3 record and a profitable 11-6 ATS record for the season.
The statistical mismatch is overwhelming. Marquette’s road offense is nearly non-existent, hitting the under in 3 of 4 away contests. DePaul plays a style that has produced unders in 12 of their 17 games. Everything points to a DePaul victory in a game that should stay below the total.
However, the most compelling angle is the small point spread. For a team as dominant at home as DePaul against an opponent as futile on the road as Marquette, a 3.5-point spread feels like a gift. We are laying a short number with a team that has proven they can win and cover at home against a team that has proven they can do neither on the road.
Final Score Prediction: DePaul 74, Marquette 65
The Pick: DePaul -3.5 (-120). The rationale is simple: we are fading a team with a demonstrated inability to win or cover on the road and backing a team with a strong track record of doing both at home. The trends are too strong to ignore.
Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only. All betting information is provided for informational purposes and is not a recommendation to wager.
Sources:
Marquette University Athletics Men’s Basketball History vs DePaul …
DePaul University Athletics MEN’S BASKETBALL History vs …
DePaul Men’s Basketball Head-to-Head Results | College …
St. John’s University Athletics Men’s Basketball History vs DePaul …
Creighton University Athletics Men’s Basketball History vs DePaul …
Xavier University Athletics Men’s Basketball History vs Marquette …
University of Connecticut Athletics Men’s Basketball History vs …
DePaul Blue Demons men’s basketball – Wikipedia
DePaul Blue Demons vs Marquette Basketball Head To Head …
Providence College Athletics Men’s Basketball History vs DePaul …