No. 13 Creighton Bluejays (23-5) vs. Georgetown Hoyas (16-12)
NCAA Basketball: Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 7 p.m. EST (Verizon Center)

The No. 13 Creighton Bluejays will look to bounce back from just their third straight up loss in the Big East this season when they face the Georgetown Hoyas this Tuesday night in the second-to-last regular-season game for both teams. This matchup will be broadcast nationally on the FOX Sports 1 network.

Creighton was in prime position to claim the Big East regular season title in its first year in the conference, but a 75-69 loss to Xavier this past Saturday as a 2.5-point road favorite put a serious crimp in those plans. The SU loss was their second in their last 10 games, and they are 4-6 against the spread during this same stretch.

The Hoyas are not completely out of the running for a bid to this year’s NCAA Tournament. However, after dropping three of their last four games, it’s looking more and more like they will have to win the Big East Tournament to guarantee a ticket to the Big Dance. Georgetown is 7-9 SU in conference play with an 8-8 record ATS.

Creighton Bluejays vs. Georgetown Hoyas Betting Storylines

The loss to Xavier could easily cost the Bluejays the regular-season conference title unless Villanova gets tripped up in one of its final two games, but this is still a team that is built for a long run in the NCAA Tournament behind All-American forward Doug McDermott. He continues to move up the ranks of the all-time leading scorers in NCAA history with an average of 26 points per game, and he also leads the team in rebounds (7.0). Another key to Creighton’s success has been the play of Ethan Wragge, who is second on the team in scoring (11.2 PPG) and is shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from 3-point range.

Overall, the Bluejays are averaging 80.2 PPG and shooting 49.5 percent from the field. They are hitting 42.1 percent from beyond the arc and 75.7 percent from the foul line, so there are very few, if any, weaknesses to be found in this team’s ability to shoot the ball. The only real concern has been some inconsistent play from a defense that is allowing an average of 66.9 PPG.

Georgetown’s only win in its last four games was a 74-52 rout over Xavier has a two-point home favorite. It was also the first time the Hoyas showed up on defense after allowing an average of 79.7 points in those three losses. Overall, they are giving up 67.5 PPG while averaging 71 points on offense. Georgetown is shooting 45.8 percent from the field, and it has had its issues under the boards with an average of just 33.6 rebounds a game.

Markel Starks and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera have combined for an average of 33.9 points and 6.8 assists a game for the Hoyas and remain the only two players scoring in double-figures after the loss of Joshua Smith early in the season due to academic issues. Both of these players have struggled with consistency shooting ball this season, but Smith-Rivera remains the biggest threat from the outside in hitting 39.6 percent from 3-point range.

Creighton Bluejays vs. Georgetown Hoyas College Basketball Betting Odds and Key Trends

Creighton has been opened as a four-point favorite on the road against the Hoyas in this Big East clash.

The Bluejays have covered in just two of their last eight games, and they are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following an ATS loss. The total has stayed “under” in eight of their last 10 games following a SU loss.

The Hoyas are 5-0 ATS in their last five home games and 6-2 ATS in their last eight conference games. The total has gone “over” in five of their last six contests.

Creighton won the first meeting this season 76-63 back on Jan. 25. It covered as a 12-point favorite at home, and the total stayed under the 144.5-point closing line. This was the only meeting between the two in recent memory.

Creighton Bluejays vs. Georgetown Hoyas Free College Basketball Picks and Betting Predictions

While current betting trends would tend to favor Georgetown in this matchup, current form does not. Granted, the Bluejays are coming off a bad loss. However, they have been able to quickly bounce back after their two previous losses in the Big East. I am counting on them to do the exact same thing on Tuesday night by covering as four-point favorites on the road against the Hoyas.

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