The Dayton Flyers take on the Marquette Golden Eagles in Milwaukee, WI. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on truTV.
Marquette is favored by -5.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -245. The total is set at 152 points.
Here are my Dayton vs. Marquette predictions and college basketball picks for November 19, 2025.
Dayton vs Marquette Prediction
My Pick: Dayton +5.5 (Play to +4)
My Dayton vs Marquette best bet is on the Flyers to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Dayton vs. Marquette Odds
| Dayton Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 152 -110o / -110u | +200 |
| Marquette Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 152 -110o / -110u | -245 |
- Dayton vs Marquette spread: Marquette -5.5
- Dayton vs Marquette over/under: 152 points
- Dayton vs Marquette moneyline: Dayton +200, Marquette -245
Dayton vs Marquette College Basketball Betting Preview
Dayton Basketball
Dayton is off to a 3-1 start, with its lone loss coming to Cincinnati. That was a road game, so the Flyers have some experience playing in non-friendly confines.
I actually really like the defensive upside on the Flyers' roster. Performance-wise, it's been a mixed bag. They rank 77th in defensive efficiency, but they should be a better defensive team than that.
Javon Bennett is a pesky on-ball defender, and the Flyers have some long-armed wings around him, like Jordan Derkack, Keonte Jones and De'Shayne Montgomery.
The Flyers force turnovers on 24% of their defensive possessions. While that's an elite number, trying for turnovers has led to opponents finding good looks from deep (40% from 3 on Dayton).
Surely that'll level out, and perhaps this matchup is when it happens. Marquette is more than willing to shoot, but it has some very inconsistent shooters.
Sophomore breakout big man Amael L'Etang could have a huge performance in this one. The 7-foot-1 French center is second on Dayton with 15.2 points per game, and he can handle the ball in dribble hand-offs, take advantage in pick-and-pop situations and score inside.
He's taller than Ben Gold by a few inches, so L'Etang will have the advantage on the interior.
While Marquette is desperate for consistent ball-handlers, Dayton has ball-handlers all over its roster. Bennett is the star of the squad and has the ball on a string, but Derkack also averages four assists, Jones was Cal State Northridge's point guard last year and Montgomery can create a shot.
That'll make Dayton a bear to defend in the half-court.
Marquette Basketball
I’m pretty worried about Marquette. A season ago, the transition from Tyler Kolek to Kam Jones at point guard looked seamless.
Things haven’t gone as smoothly in the post-Jones and Kolek era, though.
Saturday’s loss to Maryland was a perfect encapsulation of why Marquette is off to a 3-2 start. Star guard Chase Ross played great, scoring 31 points, but Zaide Lowery and Gold each scored 15+ on terribly inefficient outings.
That's the life Shaka Smart chose when he didn’t add a single portal player.
The Golden Eagles have some concerns regarding their shooting. Ross is shooting 36% from downtown and Gold is shooting 34%, but besides that duo, nobody else is above 33.3%. Smart desperately needs more from Lowery and Royce Parham.
Perhaps more troubling is that Marquette's defense looks fairly mediocre. Maryland scored 47 points in the second half and tallied 1.16 PPP for the game. That's the same Maryland offense that looked hopeless against Georgetown a week earlier.
The Golden Eagles have the 62nd-most efficient defense in college hoops, and they allowed more than 1.00 PPP in three of five games. They ranked as the 55th-best defense in America during the first season of the Smart era, four years ago. This would be the worst mark during his time at Marquette.
Marquette needs in-house player development to be an NCAA Tournament-level squad. All of the Golden Eagles' players are jumping into roles they haven't played before, and it's showing.
Smart has the task of righting the ship. His history makes me believe he'll figure it out, but it's ugly right now.
Dayton vs. Marquette Betting Analysis
I trust Dayton a lot more than Marquette right now, even on the road.
I've been trying to find good opportunities to back the Flyers, and this feels like the perfect spot.
Things could get worse before they get better for Marquette. The breakout seasons from the freshmen and sophomores will likely come closer to Big East play, as they'll take their lumps in the non-conference.
My Pick: Dayton +5.5 (Play to +4)
