The unbeaten UConn Huskies take on the Xavier Musketeers in a marquee Big East conference matchup at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati.
The Huskies have ascended to No. 2 in The Associated Press’ Top 25 rankings with their 14-0 record, including a perfect 3-0 inside the Big East.
The Musketeers check in tied for No. 22 in the AP rankings, and they’re keeping pace with UConn at 3-0 in the conference during the early going.
Will the Huskies keep their record unblemished after invading hostile territory, or will the X be on the move up in the rankings with a monumental victory? We’ll discuss in our college basketball betting picks and predictions for UConn vs. Xavier on Saturday, December 31.
UConn vs Xavier best odds
UConn vs Xavier picks and predictions
The Huskies have not only posted an impressive 14-0 straight up record, but they started out 11-0-1 against the spread in their first 12 games this season before the books adjusted to their success a little bit.
UConn is still unbeaten, but the books pushed its line to -22 against Georgetown, and it won by half of that in an 84-73 victory prior to the holidays. It returned with a 74-66 win and non-cover at home against Villanova, not coming close to covering a 12.5-point spread.
It isn’t all the fault of inflated numbers from the books, however. As the competition has gotten greater, UConn’s defense has fallen apart a little bit lately. The Huskies are allowing 59.1 ppg overall on the season, but they have yielded 69.5 ppg in the past two outings.
The Musketeers won’t be a pushover, as Xavier enters on a seven-game win streak of its own. XU has been so-so against the number lately, going 2-1 ATS in three conference games to date.
The good news for both sides is that they’re relatively injury-free, with just F Samson Johnson of the Huskies missing since the early part of the season due to a foot injury.
Expect a very entertaining, and high-scoring battle, as the Xavier defense leaves a lot to be desired, and UConn will be more than happy to run.
My best bet: Over 150 (-110 at bet365)
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UConn vs Xavier spread analysis
UConn has failed to cover its past two outings inside the conference at home, but in either true road games, or neutral site affairs off campus, the Huskies are an impressive 5-0 ATS.
As a single-digit favorite, UConn is also 4-0 ATS this season, ticking off victories against the likes of Butler and Florida on the road, as well as Iowa State and Oregon on a neutral floor.
Xavier hasn’t been an underdog since November 27 in a neutral-site game against Gonzaga. The Musketeers played the high-octane Bulldogs well that day, falling 88-84 while covering a 7.5-point number.
They won’t be fazed by facing the No. 2-ranked Huskies, as Xavier has already faced Cincinnati, Florida, Duke, Gonzaga, Indiana, and West Virginia in a tremendously competitive non-conference schedule.
Xavier is 0-3 SU in three outings as an underdog this season, going 1-1-1 ATS in those contests. The lone game at home as a ‘dog was a push against Indiana in a very entertaining 81-79 loss back on November 18 at Cintas Center.
I like the Musketeers to protect their home hardwood and keep this one very close, although I think the Huskies pull away in the second half for the narrow cover, as UConn’s defense is championship caliber, and Xavier’s just isn’t quite up to par. That will be the difference here.
UConn vs Xavier Over/Under analysis
The Huskies have cashed the Over in the past two games, thanks mostly in part to the defense allowing 69.5 ppg.
UConn has hit plenty of Overs this season because of its outstanding offense, too. The Huskies are averaging 82.9 ppg, ranking No. 20 overall in the country. This is a good shooting team, hitting 48.0% from the field to check in No. 47. It is a decent 3-point shooting team, too, connecting at a 36.7% clip.
In addition, they do not leave a lot of free points on the floor, hitting 75.7% from the charity stripe, which is good for No. 38 overall.
The hallmark of UConn's defense is its suffocating perimeter D, allowing just 26.5% from downtown by the opposition.
Center Donovan Clingan is a beast down low, swatting 1.9 shots per game, while he, F Adama Sanogo, and G Andre Jackson Jr. average 6.0 or more rebounds per game.
For Xavier, it’s all gas and no brakes, scoring 83.9 ppg to rank No. 15, while hitting 50.6% from the field, and 40.8% from behind the arc, both No. 7 or better in the country.
Conversely, the defense is allowing 74.0 ppg, which is No. 307 overall, while opponents are hitting 37.4% on treys. Xavier has the offense to unseat UConn, but the defense will be its undoing. The best bet in this game is playing the Over.
UConn vs Xavier betting trend to know
The Over has cashed in three of the past four meetings in this series, with the Huskies going 3-1 ATS in the four meetings overall dating back to November 22, 2019. Find more College basketball betting trends for UConn vs. Xavier.
UConn vs Xavier game info
| Location: | Cintas Center, Cincinnati, OH |
| Date: | Saturday, December 31, 2022 |
| Tip-off: | 12:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FOX |
UConn vs Xavier key injuries
UConn: No injuries to report.
Xavier: No injuries to report.
