Two Big East foes searching for a win will face off on Wednesday. For 5-5 Creighton, it’s been a difficult first few weeks of the season. However, the Bluejays have a chance to turn things around on the road tonight. That won’t be easy against Xavier, off to an 8-3 start. Can the Musketeers kick off conference play with a victory in front of their home crowd?
Which of these rivals will earn a victory on Wednesday? Xavier enters as 3.5-point favorites (-115) over Creighton. The total is set at 152.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here’s a college basketball pick, preview and prediction for tonight’s game between the Bluejays and the Musketeers.
Creighton vs. Xavier prediction, preview
This was always going to be a bit of a re-tooling year for Creighton. The departure of former Big East Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner has loomed large. Still, a talented transfer class was supposed to keep the program afloat this season. So far, that hasn’t been the case. A typically lethal Bluejays offense has looked anemic, ranking 247th in the nation with 74.6 points per game. Josh Dix is the only player on this roster that’s currently averaging double-digit points (12.3 PPG). A season-ending foot injury for sophomore Jackson McAndrew has only made things more difficult.
It’s not as if the Blue Jays haven’t had opportunities to improve their resume. Head coach Greg McDermott’s squad has gone 0-5 against Quad 1 and 2 opponents. The school’s best win came last month vs. 5-5 Oregon. Outside of that, they’ve only beaten up on mid-major programs. Some of those losses have been absolute laughers, as well. Creighton lost by at least 18 points against Gonzaga, Iowa State and Nebraska. In each of those outings, the school failed to score more than 63 points.
As for the home team, it’s been about as good a start as could be expected. Keep in mind, Xavier underwent a complete roster overhaul after former head coach Sean Miller left for Texas. Incoming head coach Richard Pitino, son of Rick, has already impressed at his new job. The Musketeers are a deep, experienced roster, filled with several capable scorers. Leading the way is Tre Carroll; the senior is averaging a team-leading 16.9 points per game. However, three other players are putting up more than 10.0 PPG: Jovan Milicevic, Roddie Anderson, and All Wright.
All things considered, the Musketeers are a well-rounded group without any major weaknesses. Per KenPom, they rank inside the nation’s top 100 schools in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. With that being said, this is still a team that’s finding its footing; early-season inconsistency is inevitable. Xavier has enjoyed some major triumphs, including victories over Cincinnati and West Virginia. However, the school also got blown out at home last month vs. Santa Clara. X’s biggest weakness may be a lack of size, ranking near the bottom of the Big East in rebounds and blocks per game.
Creighton vs. Xavier pick, best bet
Big things were expected out of the Bluejays entering this season. However, the past few weeks have been nothing short of a disaster. Underperformance and bad injury luck have seriously hampered this group so far. The absence of a go-to scorer, other than maybe Dix, is concerning. A lack of offensive consistency makes it difficult to trust Creighton against most high-major schools. That’s especially true on the road at the Cintas Center. Xavier is by no means a finished product, but they have a clear advantage tonight in terms of depth. The Musketeers have what it takes to earn a major statement win on Wednesday.
