Villanova vs. Xavier Pick
Arguably the game of the day comes at 4:30PM ET when second-ranked Villanova does battle with fourth-ranked host Xavier? Will the Musketeers take advantage of being on their home floor and record the win as a small underdog?
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, the Wildcats are a 1.5-point favorite on the spread line. The total is set at 164.5 points. Villanoa opened as a 1-point fave, while the total also crept a bit as it opened at 164.
Bet Today’s NCAA Action
As of Saturday morning, 57 percent of public bets are siding with Xavier. Online wager info also shows 55 percent of bets coming in on the over.
Villanova enters with a 23-3 straight up record and is 7-2 on the road. But the Wildcats have struggled lately with losses in two of their last three contests. Villanova is 6-4 ATS in its last 10 games. Xavier, meanwhile, is 24-3 straight up and a perfect 16-0 at home. Villanova is 17-9 ATS this season, while the Musketeers are also strong at 19-8 ATS.
Villanova has won three in a row straight up in the series including 89-65 on its home court last month. The Wildcats have dominated the series as they are 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings, while the under has hit three straight times but is only 5-5 in the last 10.
I have to side with Villanova here. Yes, Xavier is on a roll with a nine-game winning streak since losing to Villanova. And yes, the Musketeers have yet to lose at home. But the Wildcats are in a different class and have had Xavier’s number for a long time. Look for Villanova to get back on track with a huge win here.
NCAA DAILY PREDICTION: VILLANOVA WILDCATS -1.5