The No. 18 Xavier Musketeers (12-3, 4-0 Big East) battle the Villanova Wildcats (8-7, 2-2) Saturday. Tip from Finneran Pavilion is set for 4:30 p.m. ET (FS1).'Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Xavier vs. Villanova'odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Xavier beat No. 5 UConn 83-73 on Dec. 31, covering as a 3-point home underdog. The Musketeers have covered 2 straight and are 8-6-1 against the spread (ATS) on the season. Their strength is offense, ranking 12th in points per game (83.8) and 5th in field goal percentage (50.8%).
Villanova, on the other hand, is 5-1 straight up at home and is coming off a 73-57 road win over Georgetown on Jan. 4, covering as a 9-point favorite. The Wildcats are 3-1 ATS over their last 4 and 6-9 ATS on the season. Their strength is in getting to the line, ranking No. 1 in the nation in free-throw percentage (85.3%).