The Providence Friars (7-4 overall, 3-2 Big East) travel to Cincinnati to tangle with the Xavier Musketeers (9-2, 2-2) in a Sunday morning Big East battle at Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tip-off is at 11 a.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Providence-Xavier college basketball betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Providence at Xavier: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:15 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Providence +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Xavier -160 (bet $160 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Providence +3.5 (-115) | Xavier -3.5 (-105)
- Over/Under: 139.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Providence at Xavier: Three things to know
- As a team shooting just 28.6% from 3-point range, the Friars rely on inside scoring for the bulk of their 74.7 points per game. C Nate Watson provides much of what Providence needs inside. The 6-foot-10 senior is the Friars’ second-leading scorer and has had several impressive showings when Providence is away from home. Watson has three double-doubles on the season and is averaging 18.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest.
- Xavier opened its 2020-21 season with eight consecutive wins. Half of the wins in that streak were in games decided by three or fewer points. Since then, the Musketeers have lost two of three, and they haven’t exactly been dialed in with their shooting. Over its last three games, Xavier is shooting just 38.6% from the floor; that includes a shaky 19.1% mark from 3-point range.
- Last season, Xavier and Providence split a pair of meetings with each side claiming wins on home hardwood. The Musketeers defeated the Friars 64-58 at Cintas Center Feb. 8. In series home games since 2014, Xavier is 6-1 straight-up and 4-3 against the spread.
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Providence at Xavier: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Xavier 71, Providence 68
Money line (ML)
The Xavier rotation doesn’t have a ton of beef down low, but what’s there has been effective in defending around the paint. That will be a key in this game.
G Jared Bynum is questionable (groin) for this game, and the Providence sophomore’s 4.5 assists per game would certainly be missed.
The Musketeers’ recent shooting woes could likely be a small-sample aberration and provide a little too much lean toward fade wagers. Those performances were mostly against strong defensive teams. Xavier is the strongest defensive team in this one. There is a SLIVER OF VALUE IN XAVIER (-160).
Against the spread (ATS)
Consider a PASS or perhaps a partial-unit play on Xavier. The Musketeers are the lean by 3-5 points.
Over/Under (O/U)
Peg this one as a slight lean on the UNDER 139.5 (-110). The tempo of the game figures to be on the slow side, and the market may be slow to adjust the Friars’ early offensive numbers downward.
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