NCAA Basketball Betting Picks And Predictions For Weekend 6

Republished By Plato

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The Louisville Cardinals finally got their first win of the season after an 0-9 start, taking down Western Kentucky, 94-83. No other team in ACC history had started the year 0-9, and this was a particularly alarming start for a program that has eight Final Four appearances among 39 all-time appearances in the NCAA tournament. In the last 77 years, Louisville has posted 73 winning seasons. El Ellis set career bests with 30 points and 10 assists in the win, and the Cardinals shot 52% from behind the three-point line; before this game, the team was shooting 29% combined from distance. Kamari Lands also set a career best with 15 points. Can Louisville elevate their play in ACC competition? We will see. Let’s check out your top NCAA Basketball betting picks from college basketball action for Friday night.

NCAA News: Top Basketball Picks for December 16

Xavier Musketeers (-10.5) at Georgetown Hoyas (O/U 155.5) (6:30 pm ET)

Xavier heads to Georgetown on a four-game winning streak. The Musketeers have dropped three games this season, but all of those came against top-15 competition. In a four-game stretch, they fell to Indiana (then #12), Duke (#8) and Gonzaga (#6). After that, though, they recovered with a four-game winning streak that included victories over Cincinnati and West Virginia. Their last game was a 79-59 laugher against Southern, although Xavier did fail to cover the 22-point spread. Three-point shooting has been a strength for them, as they have made 40.8% of their shots from distance, sixth in the nation. They should feast on a Georgetown defense that is #239 in the nation in adjusted efficiency.

Georgetown limps into Friday night having dropped three of four, including an 83-64 loss at Syracuse in their last action on Saturday. Georgetown shot just 37.3% overall in the loss and clanked 19 of their 25 three-point attempts. They permitted 50% shooting on the night for Syracuse. The Hoyas do protect the ball, with a low turnover rate, and they crash the offensive boards well. However, Xavier has a taller frontcourt and has been dealing out punishment. Can Xavier cover a double-digit spread on the road? Based on the metrics, it looks like they can. Xavier to win and cover.

Creighton Bluejays (+3.5) at Marquette Golden Eagles (O/U 153.5) (8:30 pm ET)

Creighton heads to Marquette for the Big East opener for both teams. Creighton has dropped five games in a row after spending some time in the AP top 10 for much of the first few weeks of the season. Their record away from Omaha is 2-4, which is not a trend that will help them fulfill off-season predictions of a Big East title. The team lacks offensive depth, so when Ryan Kalkbrenner (15.9 points per game) had to miss time with an illness, the scoring plummeted. Baylor Scheierman (12.5) transferred in for this season and can hit shots from downtown, but the team really needs both talents on the floor to be able to score.

Marquette has played above expectations so far, posting an 8-3 record. They have already beaten Baylor and Notre Dame, and their home record (6-1) shows the ability to control their environment. Marquette’s offense has been terrific, ranked #24 in field goal percentage and #26 in scoring. Kam Jones (16.4 points per game) leads the scoring, and Tyler Kolek (7.8 assists per game) facilitates a strong ball-movement offense. Marquette to win and cover.