Marquette vs Xavier prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball
12/21/2024 01:11 AM
It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Marquette-Xavier prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Marquette-Xavier.
The Xavier Musketeers are simply playing games down to the final minute far too often. They defeated South Carolina State at home by only three points, which does reveal something about Sean Miller’s team: It plays with its food. It has stretches within games which are more difficult and labored than they should be. In a 40-minute game, Xavier has at least 10 minutes if not more in which it struggles. Playing complete games has been elusive for this group. Even when it plays well against better teams, there are always segments in which Xavier loses enough leverage to make a difference.
The Musketeers led Cincinnati for much of their rivalry game against the Bearcats, but they wobbled late and lost. Xavier led TCU for a good portion of that game as well but did not finish the job down the stretch. Xavier doesn’t want to be known as a team which plays well for 25 to 30 minutes but loses after 40, yet that has been the story for this team in recent weeks, and X really needs to change that reality with nationally-ranked Marquette coming to Cincinnati for a huge Big East battle.
Marquette got outclassed down the stretch by Iowa State and Dayton on the road, losing the two biggest games on its schedule to date. The Golden Eagles have the makings of a good team, but they have had their own problems closing the door against quality opposition. They do have recent wins over Wisconsin and Butler to tout, but they have been hit or miss against the better teams on the schedule. That’s why this road trip to Cincy is so important. If MU can follow up its Big East win over Butler earlier this week with another conference win just before Christmas, the Golden Eagles will have reason to think they are beginning to stabilize and make victory their regular expectation each time they take the court.
Here are the Marquette-Xavier College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Marquette-Xavier Odds
Marquette: -5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -230
Xavier: +5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +188
Over: 153.5 (-110)
Under: 153.5 (-110)
How to Watch Marquette vs Xavier
Time: 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT
TV: Fox
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Marquette Will Cover The Spread/Win
Xavier is just so inconsistent that Marquette will have a five- or seven-minute sequence in which it produces a 12-4 or 11-2 run to either change a negative game into a positive one, or simply pull away after establishing a small lead. If it’s a two-point game with four minutes left, no worries. Marquette will uncork a 10-2 or 7-0 run to cover the spread in the end.
Why Xavier Will Cover The Spread/Win
Big East games are all-out battles. We saw one Friday night with St. John’s rallying from 13 down at halftime to beat Providence by two. The favored team did not cover a 6.5-point spread on the road. The home underdog covered instead. Hmmmm. That feels a lot like what we could see here in Cincinnati.
Final Marquette-Xavier Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Xavier, but paradoxically, we don’t trust Xavier enough to bet on X. Stay away and wait for a live play in this Big East clash.
Final Marquette-Xavier Prediction & Pick: Xavier +5.5
The post Marquette vs Xavier prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball appeared first on ClutchPoints.
