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The Xavier Musketeers (8-3) and the No. 13 UConn Huskies (8-3) meet Wednesday in the Big East opener for both teams at XL Center in Hartford, Conn. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET (FS1). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college basketball odds around the Xavier vs. UConn odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
Xavier was tripped up by their rival Cincinnati Bearcats 68-65 on Saturday, but it was able to cover as an 8-point underdog as the Under (146.5) cashed. Xavier has covered back-to-back games, while the Under is an impressive 7-1-1 in the past 9 outings.
UConn has a tough time in the Maui Invitational, losing all 3 games against Memphis, Colorado and Dayton Nov. 25-28. It has bounced back with 4 straight games back on the mainland, topping Baylor, Texas and Gonzaga during the span. The Huskies are 4-0 against the spread (ATS) in the 4 wins, while the Over is 5-1-1 in the past 7 contests.
– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll
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Xavier at UConn odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college basketball odds. Lines last updated at 6:02 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Xavier +600 (bet $100 to win $600) | UConn -900 (bet $900 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Xavier +13.5 (-110) | UConn -13.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 146.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Xavier at UConn picks and predictions
Prediction
UConn 79, Xavier 64
Moneyline
UConn (-900) will cost 9 times your potential return, and that’s obviously way too much risk for not nearly enough reward. Even as part of a multi-leg parlay, including the 2-time defending champs takes away all value from your betslip.
AVOID.
Against the spread
Play UCONN -13.5 (-110) lightly against Xavier +13.5 (-110) in the opener in the Nutmeg State.
The Huskies struggled in Hawaii, but they’ve been dominant everywhere else. In fact, the disaster at the Maui Invitational seems to have caused the alarm clock to go off, and UConn has been rolling since returning to the mainland. The Huskies have wins over ranked teams Baylor, Texas and Gonzaga, with the latter coming in a neutral floor game in Seattle.
Over/Under
UNDER 146.5 (-105) is worth playing lightly in this Big East battle.
The Over has been the rule for UConn lately, although the total went low against Gonzaga last time out by a couple of buckets.
It’s been all about the Under for Xavier all season, going 7-1-1 in the past 9 outings. The Musketeers aren’t terribly good against the 3-pointer, however, allowing teams to hit 35.4% from behind the arc. However, the Huskies are just 35.4% from downtown, too. Side with the Under, but don’t get carried away.
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