The Creighton Bluejays will look to stay undefeated in early Big East play when they tangle with the DePaul Blue Demons this Tuesday night at Allstate Arena. The game is set to get underway at 9 p.m. (ET), and it will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1.

Creighton continues to flirt with breaking back into the Top 25 with a straight up record of 12-2. It hammered Seton Hall 79-66 this past Saturday as a six-point road favorite to improve to 9-3 against the spread. The total went “over” the 145-point closing line after staying “under” in five of its previous seven outings.

The Blue Demons have dropped their first two conference games with SU losses to Georgetown and Marquette, but they covered as double-digit underdogs. They are 8-7 SU on the year with a 7-7 record ATS. DePaul is now 4-1 ATS in their last five games, and the total has stayed under in seven of their last eight contests.

Creighton at DePaul Betting Storylines

The Bluejays actually climbed to No. 20 in the nation in late November, but back-to-back losses to San Diego State and Georgetown knocked them out of the rankings. They have gone on to win their last seven games since those setbacks, including a 67-49 romp over Marquette as 8.5-point home favorites to open play in the Big East. Creighton is averaging 81.5 points a game while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and an impressive 42.6 percent from 3-point range.

At the center of it all is senior forward Doug McDermott, who is widely considered to be one of the top players in the nation. He is averaging 24.7 points a game and shooting 49.1 percent from the floor. He also leads the team in rebounds with 7.5 a game. Ethan Wragge is second on the team in scoring, but what makes him so valuable to this lineup is a ridiculous 49.1 shooting percentage from beyond the arc.

DePaul appears to be one of the bottom-feeders in the Big East this season behind a very pedestrian offense that is averaging 71.5 points a game and converting on just 43.1 percent of its shots from the field. The Blue Demons are pulling down an average of 36.9 rebounds, and defensively they are giving up 70.1 points a game. Their biggest win so far was a 57-56 victory over Northwestern on Dec. 27 as 4.5-point underdogs on the road.

To have any shot at keeping this game close, DePaul will need a monster night from Cleveland Melvin. He is averaging 15.8 points a game and has done most of his damage from outside the perimeter with a 49.1 shooting percentage from three-point range. Both Brandon Young and Billy Garrett Jr. are scoring in double-figures, but things drop off pretty dramatically from there.

Creighton at DePaul College Basketball Betting Odds and Trends

BetOnline has opened the Bluejays as 8.5-point road favorites over DePaul for Tuesday’s Big East clash.

The Bluejays are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games and 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a SU win. The total has stayed under in 15 of their last 21 games on the road.

The Blue Demons are 5-15 ATS in their last 20 games at home and 1-5 ATS in their last six home games against a team with a SU winning record on the road. The total has stayed under in four of their last five conference games.

These two last met in 2008, with Creighton coming away with an 83-75 victory in a game that had no posted line.

Free College Basketball Picks: Creighton at DePaul Betting Predictions

This contest is a major mismatch on paper that will carry over to the actual play on the court this Tuesday night. DePaul does not have the horses to run with the Bluejays, especially when it comes to slowing down McDermott. Look for another big night from the senior as Creighton cruises to a road victory that easily covers the 8.5-point spread.

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