Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Thundering Herd versus the Dukes? Tip off is at at 8:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, FL. The over/under for this game is set at 153.5 points, and James Madison is favored by -12.5 vs. Marshall in a Sun Belt conference matchup.

MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD VS JAMES MADISON DUKES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Marshall Thundering Herd +12.5

This game will be played at Pensacola Bay Center at 8:30 ET on Saturday, March 9th.

WHY BET THE MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-69 in favor of the Dukes.
  • Even though we have James Madison winning straight-up, we like Marshall at +12.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 153.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.

Can Marshall Pull Off a Road Win?

Marshall heads to James Madison as 12.5-point underdogs. The Thundering Herd are 13-19 overall, including an 8-11 record in Sun Belt play. On the road, Marshall has gone 5-12 this season, and they are coming off a 86-74 win over Georgia State.

So far, the Thundering Herd have been the underdog in 15 games, going 3-12 in those contests. For the season, they have been the underdog in 15 games, going 3-12.

Marshall’s ATS record this season is 12-19, but they have struggled vs. the spread as the underdog, going just 4-11. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Thundering Herd are 2-8 vs. the spread, and they are 0-5 vs. the spread in their last 5 games as the underdog.

Marshall’s over/under record for the season sits at 11-19-1, and today’s over/under line of 153.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games this year (154.2). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 160 points, and their over/under record in their last three games is 3-0.

The Marshall offense is coming off a game in which they scored 86 points vs. Georgia State. Overall their field goal percentage was 44.9% while connecting on 14 threes. The Marshall offense has been looking to get up shots from outside so far this season, averaging 26.5 three-point attempts per contest. Overall, they have connected on 31% of their looks from outside this season.

Facing James Madison, Marshall aims for a better defensive performance, given their current average of 76.6 points allowed per game (288th). Against Georgia State in their most recent game, the Marshall defense gave up a total of 74 points while allowing Georgia State to hit 42% of their shots.

Will the Dukes Make it Happen at Home?

James Madison has been dominant at home this season, going 13-1 with an average scoring margin of +18.1 points per game. Their home win streak is currently at seven games, and they have gone 9-1 in their last 10 games at home. Overall, the Dukes are 28-3 this season, including a 16-3 record in Sun Belt Conference games.

Coming into today’s game, James Madison has won 10 games in a row, and they have been the favorite in 27 of their 31 games. Their record as the favorite is 25-2, compared to 2-1 when they have been the underdog. In their most recent game, the Dukes defeated Coastal Carolina, 86-76.

James Madison’s ATS record this season is 17-13, and they are 8-6 vs. the spread at home this year. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Dukes’ ATS mark is 4-6, and they are just 1-4 ATS in their last five games as the favorite. Their ATS record as the favorite this year is 15-12.

This season, the over/under record for James Madison games is 14-15-1 with an average over/under line of 153.3. So far, 16 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line of 153.5. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 159 points, and in their last five games, the average is 157 points.

In their most recent game, the Dukes’ offense tallied 86 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 84.6 points per game. Offensively, the Dukes hold a season-long field goal percentage of 47%, placing them 57th in the national rankings. When it comes to three-pointers, they are ranked 131st in terms of percentage and 63rd in three-pointers made.

The Dukes’ defense is presently ranked 101st nationally, allowing an average of 69.3 points per contest. In today’s game vs. Marshall, the James Madison defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, James Madison made 16 free-throws vs. the Dukes.