A Big East battle on Sunday afternoon features the No. 25 Marquette Golden Eagles playing against the No. 12 Xavier Musketeers. The Golden Eagles are 14-4 overall and are winners of five games in a row. On Jan. 11, they knocked off No. 6 UConn, 82-76. Xavier, meanwhile, owns a 14-3 record and currently has a 10-game win streak. On Wednesday, they beat Creighton, 90-87.
Tip-off from the Cintas Center in Cincinnati is set for 12 p.m. ET. The Musketeers are 3.5-point favorites in the latest Marquette vs. Xavier odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 163. Before locking in any Xavier vs. Marquette picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 9 of the season 34-18 on all-top rated college basketball picks, returning more than $1,000 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Marquette 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. Marquette:
- Marquette vs. Xavier spread: Musketeers -3.5
- Marquette vs. Xavier over/under: 163 points
- Marquette vs. Xavier money line: Musketeers -170, Golden Eagles +145
- MARQ: The Golden Eagles are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall
- XAV: The Musketeers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight-up win
- Marquette vs. Xavier picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Xavier can cover
This group has been one of the top offensive teams in the Big East throughout this season. The Musketeers head into Sunday's showdown ranked first in the conference in scoring (84.4), field-goal percentage (.510), and 3-point percentage (.409). They've scored at least 85 points in seven games thus far. Senior guard Souley Boum is an athletic and assertive ball-handler. '
Boum can score in a variety of ways including a smooth mid-range jumper. The California native scans the floor well and is able to set his teammates up. He's first in the Big East in points per game (17.7) and seventh in assists (4.9). Boum is also shooting 46% from beyond the arc. In his last outing, he racked up 26 points and eight assists.
Why Marquette can cover
The Golden Eagles also own a stout and effective offense. They roll into this conference bout ranked second in scoring (83.1) and field-goal percentage (.502). Sophomore guard Kam Jones is one of the main contributors to Marquette's offense. Jones can get a score one-on-one and at all three levels. The Tennessee native averages 16.1 points and shoots 48% from the field.
Jones has logged at least 17 points in seven games this season. On Jan. 7, he finished with 17 points, five rebounds and four assists. Junior forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper gives Marquette an aggressive and attacking slasher. Prosper can quickly change directions defensively with tremendous length. He's averaging 14.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. In the Jan. 3 win over St. John's, Prosper supplied 29 points and seven boards.
How to make Xavier vs. Marquette picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 159 combined points. It has also generated an against the spread pick that hits in 60% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Marquette vs. Xavier? And which side of the spread hits 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is 34-18 on its top-rated college basketball picks this season, and find out.
