| MATCHUP | Seton Hall Pirates | Marquette Golden Eagles |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 11-2 | 5-8 |
| Where | Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI | |
| When | Tuesday, December 30, 2025 | |
| Time | 07:00 PM EST | |
| TV | FS1 | |
Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Preview
The Marquette Golden Eagles enter Tuesday night’s contest with a 5–6 overall win-loss record, including a 5–3 record at home. The Golden Eagles have amassed wins over Albany, Southern, Little Rock, Valparaiso and the Central Michigan Chippewas while losing games to Indiana, Maryland, Dayton, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and the Purdue Boilermakers. In the Marquette Golden Eagles thrilling 75-72 overtime victory over the Valparaiso Beacons last month, Marquette guard Nigel James Jr. tallied 21 points (7 of 16 shooting from the field), 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals illustrating his ability to lead the backcourt.The Marquette Golden Eagles are averaging 76.9 points on 41.2 percent shooting from the field and 30.7 percent shooting from three-point range per game. Defensively, the Golden Eagles are allowing opponents 77.3 points per game.
Senior guard Chase Ross leads the Marquette Golden Eagles backcourt averaging 16.8 points per game on 42.6 percent shooting from the field per game. Freshman guard Nigel James Jr. is averaging 12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals per contest. Senior forward Ben Gold provides the Golden Eagles with a strong interior presence averaging 8.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game.
Seton Hall Pirates Betting Preview
The Seton Hall Pirates enter Tuesday’s contest with an 11–2 overall record, including a 1–1 mark in Big East play. The Pirates have compiled wins over Rutgers, Providence, Fairfield, Wagner and the Washington State Cougars, while dropping games to the USC Trojans and the Villanova Wildcats. More recently, in the Seton Hall Pirates 72-67 win over the Providence Friars ten days ago, Seton Hall guard Tajuan Simpkins accumulated 22 points (6 of 9 shooting from the field), 1 rebound and 1 steal.The Seton Hall Pirates average 74.6 points on 45.2 percent shooting from the field and 33.2 percent shooting from behind the arc per game. On the defensive side of the basketball the Pirates are allowing opponents just 62.2 points per game which ranks 6th in the country.
Senior guard AJ Staton-McCray leads the Seton Hall Pirates averaging 13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Junior guard Tajuan Simpkins contributes 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1 steal per contest. Senior forward Stephon Payne adds front court stability averaging 7.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.
Why the Marquette Golden Eagles Will Win
• Home-court edge. The Marquette Golden Eagles have traditionally been a good home team. The Golden Eagles are 5-3 at home this season.• Quality guard play. Senior guard Chase Ross leads the Marquette Golden Eagles backcourt averaging 16.8 points per game on 42.6 percent shooting from the field per game.
Why the Seton Hall Pirates Will Win
• Defensive edge. The Seton Hall Pirates are allowing opponents just 62.2 points per game which ranks 6th in the country.• Backcourt play. AJ Staton-McCray and Tajuan Simpkins combine for over 24 points per game. Senior forward Stephon Payne adds front court stability averaging 7.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.
• Strong interior presence. Senior forward Stephon Payne is averaging 7.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.
Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Seton Hall Pirates Prediction
This matchup features Marquette’s home court advantage and offensive potential against a Seton Hall team that defends at a high level and takes care of the basketball. Look for the Golden Eagles to lean on Nigel James Jr.’s scoring and Kam Jones’ perimeter shooting, while the Pirates will counter with Isaiah Coleman’s shot creation and their disciplined defensive structure.Marquette has been competitive at home, but their defensive inconsistency and turnover issues present a difficult matchup against a Seton Hall team that controls tempo, forces inefficient possessions, and has been the more consistent group on both ends of the floor. If the Pirates maintain their defensive discipline and limit mistakes, they should be able to create separation and secure a conference road victory.