#18 Xavier vs. #23 Villanova: Live stream info, game preview, picks and predictions & more

The marquee matchup on the Tuesday night college basketball schedule will be a Big East battle in Philly as the No. 18 Xavier Musketeers hit the road to meet the No. 23 Villanova Wildcats.

Xavier (11-1, 1-0 Big East) successfully knocked off Marquette 80-71 in its conference opener on Saturday, bringing its win streak to seven. The Musketeers took control of the bout towards the end of the first half and never looked back, starting Big East play off on the right foot. Dwon Odom led with 19 points in 21 minutes off the bench, Jack Nunge had 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Villanova (7-4, 0-1 Big East) had a conference opener to forget over the weekend, falling 79-59 at Creighton on Friday. The Wildcats shot just 33% from the field and simply could not keep pace with the Blue Jays on the way to a 20-point loss. Collin Gillespie led with 16 points and five rebounds.

How to watch Xavier vs. Villanova

When: Tuesday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Finneran Pavilion, Villanova, PA
TV: FS1
Where to live stream online: FS1, Bally Sports App on iOS or Google Play
Live updates and stats: At DraftKings Sportsbook

Odds

Spread: Villanova -5.5
Total: 137

The Pick

Xavier +5.5

Through 11 games, Villanova has struggled mightily against the better teams on its schedule, particularly teams rated in the Top 50 in KenPom. Prior to the Creighton loss, the Wildcats were lit up by Baylor on the Sunday before. Even with the home-court advantage tonight, they’ll have struggles warding off a Xavier team that has looked impressive over the last month. Take the points with the Musketeers.

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