After suffering through a stretch which saw the UConn Huskies drop five of their last seven games, they are hoping to string together another big winning streak as they take on the Xavier Musketeers in a key Big East battle on Wednesday. The Huskies (16-5, 5-5 Big East), who had opened the season 14-0, including 3-0 in conference play, are 11-1 on their home floor. Their only home loss was an 85-74 setback against St. John's on Jan. 15. The Musketeers (16-4, 8-1), who suffered their first Big East loss of the season at DePaul on Jan. 18, rebounded with a 95-82 win over Georgetown on Saturday.
Tip-off from Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut, is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. The all-time series is tied 3-3, including 2-2 since the teams became Big East rivals. The Huskies are 6.5-point favorites in the latest Xavier vs. UConn odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 154. Before making any UConn vs. Xavier picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 12 of the season 45-26 on all-top rated college basketball picks, returning more than $1,100 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on UConn vs. Xavier and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for Xavier vs. UConn:
- Xavier vs. UConn spread: UConn -6.5
- Xavier vs. UConn over/under: 154 points
- XAV: The Musketeers are 5-0 against the spread in their last five games against a team with a winning straight-up record
- CONN: The Huskies are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight games following a straight-up win of more than 20 points
- Xavier vs. UConn picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why UConn can cover
Freshman forward Alex Karaban is off to a solid start to his collegiate career, and is one of three Huskies averaging 10 points or more. He is coming off a 15-point, five-rebound performance in the win over Butler on Sunday, and has scored in double figures in three of the last four games. He has scored 10 or more points in 13 games on the year. For the season, he is averaging 10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He is connecting on 46.5% of his field goals, including 38.6% of his 3-pointers and 83.3% of his foul shots.
Senior guard Tristen Newton, a transfer from East Carolina, is fitting in nicely with the Huskies and is averaging 9.1 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal per game. He has also been nearly automatic at the free-throw line, connecting on 81.7% of his foul shots. He has registered one triple-double, a 22-point, 11-assist and 10-rebound performance in an 84-64 win over Buffalo on Nov. 15.
Why Xavier can cover
Five Musketeers average double-digit scoring, led by senior guard Souley Boum. Boum is averaging 16.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He is connecting on 47.4% of his field goals, including 43% from 3-point range, and is the top foul shooter on the team, connecting on 87.9% of his free throws. He scored 11 points in the first meeting with the Huskies, and has scored in double figures in 18 games.
Senior forward Zach Freemantle was a big reason the Musketeers defeated the Huskies in their first meeting, posting a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. He is coming off a 30-point, 11-rebound effort in the win over Georgetown on Sunday. Freemantle has one triple-double and seven double-doubles on the year, including a pair of double-doubles the last two games. He is averaging 15.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
How to make Xavier vs. UConn picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 152 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UConn vs. Xavier? And which side of the spread hits over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has seen profitable returns on its college basketball picks this season, and find out.
