Tuesday’s college basketball slate is jam-packed with high-profile matchups. Facing off in the Big East, the Xavier Musketeers will host the Villanova Wildcats at 6:30 p.m. ET.
This is the first of two matchups between these programs this season, with them tipping off again in Villanova on March 7.
For Tuesday’s contest, Villanova enters as a 4.5-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 149.5 points.
Villanova vs. Xavier prediction, preview
It has been an impressive season for Villanova under first-year head coach Kevin Willard. The Wildcats hold a 20-5 record and have gone 11-3 in Big East play. They enter this matchup on a five-game winning streak, with their losses coming against UConn, St. John’s, Creighton, Michigan, and BYU. Villanova is 17-8 against the spread, clearing the game total in 15 of 25 games.
Tyler Perkins leads the team with 13.6 points per game while shooting 36.9% from deep, also adding 5.7 rebounds. Duke Brennan adds 12.4 points and 10.6 rebounds, the latter mark ranking seventh in the nation. Freshman Acaden Lewis adds 12.4 points of his own, along with a team-high 5.3 assists. Bryce Lindsey also averages double figures at 12.2 points. Devin Askew, Matt Hodge, and Malachi Palmer also play important roles in the rotation.
Villanova averages 77.8 points per game, which ranks 116th in the country. They sit 31st in offensive rating, 112th in field-goal percentage, 58th in three-point percentage, and 40th in threes per game. Defensively, the Wildcats have allowed the 52nd-fewest points in the country, while ranking 32nd in defensive rating, 142nd in opponent shooting percentage, and 132nd in opponent perimeter accuracy.
Xavier enters with a 13-12 overall record and sits at 5-9 in Big East play. The Musketeers are coming off a victory over Marquette, but have dropped five of their last seven games. Xavier is 13-12 against the spread and has fallen under the game total in 18 of 25 games.
Tre Carroll leads the Big East with 18 points per game, along with 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Jovan Milicevic adds 11.7 points and 3.9 rebounds, while shooting 42.6% from downtown. Malik Messina-Moore, Roddie Anderson III, and Filip Borovicanan each average double figures. Borovicanin also leads the team with eight rebounds and 4.4 assists per contest. All Wright and Isaiah Walker also play notable roles in the rotation.
Richard Pitino’s squad produces 77.8 points per game, which ranks 116th in the nation. Xavier sits 90th in offensive rating, 222nd in field-goal percentage, and 47th in three-point percentage. On the other side of the ball, the Musketeers rank 282nd in opponent scoring, 116th in defensive rating, 296th in opponent field-goal percentage, and 185th in opponent perimeter accuracy.
Villanova vs. Xavier pick, best bet
Villanova has the look of a team that could make some noise in the NCAA Tournament, but not according to its betting lines. The program did an excellent job attacking the transfer portal, and Kevin Willard has upheld the standard in his first season at the helm. The Wildcats are 17-8 against the spread this season and have covered in six of their last seven games.
Xavier is a program with a pulse and must be taken seriously on a nightly basis. But there is a sizable gap between these two teams when each is at its best. Xavier’s biggest concern is its lack of defense, which Villanova should have no problem exploiting. The Musketeers allowed 88 points to Marquette in their previous game, and DePaul is the only team to score fewer than 87 against them over their past seven games.
Expect Villanova to find success on the offense and provide resistance on the defensive end. The Wildcats are coming off an extremely impressive defensive performance against Creighton, holding the Bluejays to just 69 points on 42% shooting.
Tuesday night presents an opportunity for Villanova to continue building momentum and cement its status as one of the better teams in college hoops. The chemistry has continued to grow throughout the season, and they’re seemingly peaking at just the right time. Expect the Wildcats to outperform the Musketeers on both ends of the floor en route to a statement win.
