#17 Providence vs #21 Xavier | College Basketball

The lone Top 25 matchup around college basketball on Wednesday is from the Big East as No. 17 Providence visits No. 21 Xavier, with the Musketeers solid favorites on the NCAAB odds.

How to Bet Providence at Xavier NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 6:30 PM ET
Where: Cintas Center, Cincinnati
TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: Paramount+
Radio: Tunein.com
Opening NCAAB Lines: Xavier -8 (total 139)

Last Meeting

It’s the first of two scheduled meeting this season. Last year, the split. The one in Cincinnati was a 74-73 Xavier victory. Colby Jones hit a 3-pointer with one tenth of a second left. Xavier, which got the ball with 14.5 seconds to play, kept weaving toward the basket until Adam Kunkel drove into the late, kicked the ball to the right corner for Paul Scruggs, who whipped the ball up top to Jones. Jones hit nothing but net over the outstretched arms of closing Jimmy Nichols Jr. Xavier trailed by seven in the final minute. Zach Freemantle had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead the Musketeers. He’s still with the team.

Providence holds a 9-11 mark all-time versus Xavier. The Friars have posted a 7-2 mark all-time versus Xavier in Providence, a 1-9 record versus the Musketeers at Xavier and a 1-0 mark on neutral courts.

Why Bet on Providence?

The Friars (16-2) are off a 69-62 home win over Butler on Sunday. It was the third straight win for the Friars, who remained unbeaten at home in conference play. Coach Ed Cooley also got his 210th victory at Providence, moving him past Dave Gavitt (209-84) and into second place at the school behind Joe Mullaney (319-164). The last time Providence was 16-2 was the 1977-78 season. The Friars went to the NCAA tournament that year, but lost in the first round to Michigan State.

Nate Watson led the way for the Friars with 18 points. Al Durham chipped in with 12 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Providence finished 27-53 (50.9%) from the field, 5-12 (41.7%) from three, and 10-14 (71.4%) from the free throw line. Butler finished 28-60 (46.7%) from the field, 5-20 (25%) from three, and 1-4 (25%) from the free throw line.

It’s the first time ever that Providence is 6-1 in Big East play. Providence has posted Quad 1 wins at Wisconsin, at home versus Texas Tech, at UConn and at home versus Seton Hall. The Friars have a NCAA NET ranking of 39. They are 2-0 vs. ranked teams this season – at No. 20 UConn and vs. No. 15 Seton Hall.

The Friars’ roster features five graduate students. It marks the first time ever the Friars have had five graduate students on the roster. The Friars’ star ting lineup of Watson (140 games), Horchler (105 games), Durham (141 games), AJ Reeves (93 games) and Jared Bynum (64 games) have combined to play 544 college basketball games. Reeves has missed the last four games with a finger injury – his status is day to day. Watson (1,570 points) is the 18th player at PC to score 1,500 or more points.

Why Bet on Xavier?

Xavier (14-4) lost at Marquette on Sunday, 75-64. Paul Scruggs had 13 points and seven rebounds to lead the Musketeers. Colby Jones and Adam Kunkel each scored 12 points.

The two teams traded second-half runs, with the Musketeers leading by as many as five, 53-48, with 14 minutes to play. Marquette outscored Xavier 16-4 over the next eight minutes to go ahead for good, taking a 64-57 lead into the final six minute of play. Xavier would get as close as six down the stretch before Marquette extended the lead out to 11, setting the final score at 75-64. Xavier finished with a 38-35 advantage on the boards overall. Xavier committed 10 turnovers leading to 10 Marquette points.

Xavier has four players averaging in double figures in scoring from 11.1 ppg. to 12.3 ppg. and have had eight different players lead the team in scoring this season. Jack Nunge leads the team in scoring at 12.3 ppg., including his 23-point effort at DePaul that included 13 points in the final seven minutes. Nate Johnson, who is third on the team in scoring at 11.3 ppg., is fifth in the Big East in 3-point field goals at 2.4 per game.

Scruggs is 21st on Xavier’s all-time scoring list with 1,446 points and ninth on Xavier’s all-time assist leaders chart with 452. Jones, who is fourth in the Big East in rebounding (8.0 rpg.), is tied for sixth in the Big East in offensive rebounding (2.9 rpg.).

Xavier is sixth in the Big East in field goal percentage defense at 40.3 percent; XU was at 41.3 percent last season. Xavier is third in the Big East in scoring defense at 64.3 ppg.; XU allowed 70.2 ppg. last season. Xavier is fourth in the Big East in 3-point percentage defense at 31.5 percent; XU allowed 33.8 percent 3-point shooting last season. Xavier has outrebounded teams by an average of 6.2 rpg (second in the Big East and 38th in the nation).

Xavier is hosting an AP top 20 team for the third time this season. XU defeated then-No. 19 Ohio State and lost to then-No. 14 Villanova. A fourth top 20 team, No. 20 UConn, is slated to play at Cintas Center on Feb. 11 in a rescheduled tilt.