College Basketball Free Picks: Xavier At Butler

This is the time of year when all college basketball fans start getting a little bit more excited. The start of conference play is a sign that we are once again edging ever closer to March Madness. The cream is starting to rise to the top, and while the teams that are riding high right now may not necessarily be there come the end of the season, it certainly gives us an indication of who the favorites might well be when the tournament gets under way. There are a number of teams that are sitting just below the favorites right now, and a couple of these teams are in the competitive Big East Conference. The Xavier Musketeers and the Butler Bulldogs are both ranked, and both are coming into this one with 3 losses on the season. A win in this one could send the winner moving up the rankings, while a loss will widen the gap that exists at the top of the conference where Villanova and Creighton are setting a torrid pace.

In Depth Analysis On The College Basketball Free Picks: Musketeers At Bulldogs

When: Saturday, January 14 at 2 PM EST Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis TV: FS1 NCAAB Odds: TBA    

Why bet on the Xavier Musketeers

The Musketeers are going to have to find a way to bounce back after getting manhandled 79-54 in a loss on the road to Villanova. The bigger issue here is that they have now lost both games that they have played against ranked opposition, and another loss here is sure to send them well below the number 15 seed that they are currently sitting in. They also need to find a way to start picking up some wins on the road if they want to maintain their spot in the top 25. They are 1-3 away from home this season, and with some tough conference games on the horizon, they could very easily start to see things spin out of control. Xavier Musketeers are 9-6 ATS this season, but just 1-3 ATS on the road.

Why bet on the Butler Bulldogs

Butler are in the same position as Xavier in that they are coming into this game on the back of a loss. The Bulldogs tool a loss on the road at Creighton in their last outing, which had to be disappointing in that it came so close on the heels of a big win over Villanova. It has been a good season for Butler so far, and much of that success comes down to how well they have played on home court, where they are currently a perfect 9-0. They are also 10-5 ATS on the season, which includes being 5-2 ATS in games played in their won building. The loss to Creighton won’t hurt their ranking too much if they can get a win in this one.  

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

This is a game between a pair of teams that are pretty evenly matched, which means that it may well come down to home court advantage. That is why I like Butler to come away with the win in what should be a very competitive game.

Xavier Musketeers 70 Butler Bulldogs 75