Villanova vs Xavier Picks and Odds (Jan. 12)

• The #14 Villanova Wildcats are 1.5-point road favorites over the #17 Xavier Musketeers in an NCAA men’s basketball game scheduled for Wednesday, January 12
• Villanova has won four in a row and nine of 10 games over Xavier
• The Wildcats beat Xavier 71-58 at home on December 21

The #14 Villanova Wildcats will be seeking to turn two when they turn out Wednesday to face the #17 Xavier Mustangs. Villanova already posted a 71-58 home-court victory over Xavier on Dec. 21 and will be looking to sweep the regular-season series from their Big East rivals for the second successive season and fourth time in five years.

Oddsmakers are setting the Wildcats as 1.5-point road favorites. This even though the Musketeers are a perfect 9-0 straight up at home this season.

#14 Villanova vs #17 Xavier Odds

Odds as of January 11th at BetMGM.

Tipoff for Wednesday’s game at the Cintas Center is 6:30pm EST. The broadcast is being carried by FS1.

Villanova Wildcats Betting Trends

Villanova (11-4, 4-1) is just 4-3 SU on the road this season. The Wildcats won 79-64 at DePaul in Chicago on Saturday. Graduate student guard Collin Gillespie led the way with 25 points. Villanova senior forward Brandon Slater (left ankle injury) is expected to play Wednesday. The Wildcats are 8-2 when Slater scores in double digits.

KenPom is showing Villanova 25th in the nation with an adjusted efficiency of +25.95. Nova holds an adjusted offensive efficiency rating of 118.7 points per 100 possessions (#7). The Wildcats are at #20 in adjusted defensive number (92.7 points per 100 possessions).

Junior guard Justin Moore was named Big East Player of the Week. Moore averaged 21.5 points per game in a 2-0 week for Villanova. It marked the second straight week a Wildcats player was honored. Gillespie was named Big East Player of the Week on January 3. Gillespie (16.9 ppg) and Moore (15.7 ppg) are 1-2 on Villanova in scoring.

In 11 victories, the Wildcats have limited their opponents to 56.7 points per games. In their four losses, they’ve allowed an average of 75.5 points per contest. The Wildcats are 8-0 this season when holding opponents below the 60-point barrier.

Xavier Musketeers Betting Trends

Xavier (12-2, 2-1) come into this game off a solid 87-72 triumph over Butler on Friday. It was the first game action for the Musketeers in 17 days.

Senior guard Adam Kunkel led the Xavier attack in that game with 25 points. He’s the seventh different player to be high scorer in a Musketeers game this season.

???? ????…

? | Xavier vs. Villanova
? | Wednesday, January 12
? | Cintas Center#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/ojMnyIoOvA

— Xavier Basketball (@XavierMBB) January 10, 2022

The Musketeers are first in the conference in field goal percentage defense (.394). Xavier has four players averaging in double figures in scoring and two others over 8.5 ppg.

Senior guard Nate Johnson leads the team in scoring. He’s averaging 12.7 points per game. Johnson is third in the Big East and 12th in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage (.464). Sophomore guard Colby Jones is third in the conference in rebounding (8.1 rpg) and fourth in offensive rebounding (2.8 rpg).

Musketeers vs Wildcats Prediction

Xavier led Villanova by eight points (38-30) at halftime in the first meeting this season. However, the Wildcats turned a dominating 41-20 second-half performance into a decisive victory. Cold second-half shooting (8-27, including 0-14 from 3-point range) and eight second-half turnovers cost the Musketeers.

That victory launched Villanova on a four-game winning streak. That stretch is including a 73-67 victory over the #20 Seton Hall Pirates. The Wildcats are 3-3 SU against ranked teams this season.

⚔️ | Tomorrow…#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/fVlP3BfVeZ

— Xavier Basketball (@XavierMBB) January 11, 2022

Rebounding could be a key to this outcome. In games where the Wildcats are winning the rebound battle, they’re 9-0. In games where they’re outrebounded, the Wildcats are 2-4. Xavier leads the Big East and is 18th in the nation in rebound margin (+8.5 rebounds per game).

Xavier junior forward Zach Freemantle was held to six points in the first meeting with Villanova. The preseason First Team All-Big East selection wound up missing the first six games of the season while recovering from foot surgery. He’s been a starter in the Musketeers’ last four games.

Pick: Villanova -1.5 (-110)

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