Washington and Marquette meet in first round of 2010 NCAA Tournament

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/18/2010 - San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The sixth-seeded Marquette Golden Eagles and the 11th-seeded Washington Huskies will meet in the first round of the NCAA Tournament's East Region.

Up next for the winner of this contest is a second-round clash with either third-seeded New Mexico or 14th-seeded Montana.

Washington has lost its last 10 games against Big East Conference foes, not exactly a source of confidence heading into tonight's affair. The Huskies earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Pac-10 Conference Tournament title with three consecutive victories last week. They are 24-9 and are making their 14th appearance in the "Big Dance", posting a 15-15 record in their previous showings.

As for Marquette, it is making its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 28th overall, and the program is 34-28 all-time in college basketball's top postseason event. The Golden Eagles were awarded with an at- large bid after posting a 22-11 record and reaching the semifinal round of the Big East Tournament. Marquette has faced a current member of the Pac-10 Conference 19 times and owns a 13-6 record.

Marquette has won both previous meetings with Washington, the most recent of which took place in 1978.

The Huskies rely heavily on a pair of standout performers to carry the load at the offensive end. Quincy Pondexter leads the team in both scoring (19.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg), and he is a 53.5 percent shooter from the floor. Pondexter is also an 84 percent shooter from the foul line, so he often has the ball in his hands at the end of close games. Isaiah Thomas checks in with 17.1 ppg for the Huskies, who are posting 79.8 ppg while limiting opponents to 69.9 ppg. They have been strong on the boards this season, outrebounding foes by 4.3 rpg. Washington carries a seven-game win streak and plenty of confidence into this clash. Pondexter is the first player in Pac-10 history to earn five Pac-10 Player of the Week honors in one season, and he figures to be the focus of the Golden Eagles' defensive efforts tonight.

Marquette is generating 72.9 ppg while limiting opponents to 64.2 ppg. There are three double-digit scorers in the fold, and Lazar Hayward checks in with 18.1 ppg. The versatile forward is an 84.3 percent shooter from the foul line, impressive to say the least. Hayward does more than just score, as he is ripping down 7.7 rpg to go along with 60 steals. Jimmy Butler provides 14.9 ppg on 53.5 percent field goal efficiency, and he is pulling down 6.4 rpg. Rounding out the trio is Darius Johnson-Odom with 12.8 ppg on the strength of his 47.4 percent shooting from three-point range. The Golden Eagles have only committed 340 turnovers, 136 fewer than the opposition. They have also attempted 119 more free throws than the opposition.

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