Xavier vs UConn Odds
| Xavier Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11 -110 | 149 -108o / -112u | +470 |
| UConn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11 -110 | 149 -108o / -112u | -650 |
Here's everything you need to know about Xavier vs. UConn on Sunday, Jan. 28 — our expert pick and college basketball betting guide for today.
The UConn Huskies have regularly reminded people why they're the top-ranked team in America. While other programs come up short on the road, UConn continually wins games regardless of its opponent or the venue.
That’s the true sign of an elite team.
Here's Xavier vs. UConn odds and a pick, including a college basketball betting guide on Sunday, Jan. 28.
Connecticut Huskies
UConn is trying to break the lengthy trend and become the first back-to-back national title winner since Florida in 2005-07.
This season, the Huskies only hold a pair of losses, falling at Kansas by five and at Seton Hall by 15 points.
Very few teams play with the IQ and connectivity that UConn does, as it ranks 13th nationally in assist rate and 10th in effective field goal percentage. The team is very unselfish on offense, passing up good shots for great shots, which point guard Tristen Newton helps execute.
Newton is one of the best point guards in the sport, averaging 15.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. Sure, he’s a streaky scorer, but I trust Newton’s ability in the most important moments. He’s a proven winner, and UConn probably wouldn’t trade his basketball acumen for anyone.
The best part? UConn can win even if Newton isn’t scoring.
Alex Karaban and Cam Spencer both average 15 points an evening — the same amount as Newton. Both provide elite perimeter shooting and help open driving lanes with their floor spacing.
Karaban might be the most undervalued star player in college hoops. He’s not just a shooter; he also defends and became a more complete scorer in his sophomore season.
Meanwhile, UConn’s offense relies heavily on perimeter jumpers, attempting 3s on 42.1% of its field goals. Those shots won’t come easy against the stout Xavier defense.
Xavier Musketeers
Every season, there’s one team that passes the eye test and ranks favorably in the metrics but has an unimpressive record. That’s the case of the 10-9 Xavier Musketeers, who could easily have another four wins if some late-game possessions went differently.
Xavier was tested before the year began, as Zach Freemantle and Jerome Hunter went down. This team would look incredibly different if its two experienced bigs were healthy, which pushed some inexperienced players like Gytis Nemeiksa into the mix.
Luckily, the steady play from Abou Ousmane of North Texas has kept the frontcourt afloat.
The Musketeers thrive on the defensive end, ranking 38th in Defensive Efficiency. They need more on the defensive end than they received in the previous meeting against UConn, when Xavier allowed 80 points with 1.15 points per possession in Cincy.
If you’re letting UConn shoot over 50% from deep, it’ll usually end in a loss. UConn could dominate against Xavier if the offense connects on 3s early.
Xavier boasts an elite guard duo in Quincy Olivari and Desmond Claude, two guys who regularly shine in the biggest moments. Olivari transferred from Rice and is averaging 17.9 points in his lone season at Xavier. He’s just a big-time scorer who excels at shooting from deep — and I mean deep, he has some real NBA range.
Meanwhile, Claude is Xavier’s best player. He impacts the game in all ways — minus shooting. Claude is great at driving and rebounding and makes a major impact on defense by defending opposing guards.
This is a real contest of styles. Xavier prefers playing with pace (51st in Adjusted Tempo), while UConn is more cerebral, waiting things out on the offense end (331st in Adjusted Tempo).
It’ll be interesting to see which team the tempo favors, especially since UConn can lull teams to sleep on the offensive end.
Xavier vs. UConn
Betting Pick & Prediction
The total here is interesting — and well placed. The final score of the last meeting was 80-75, so the books put the number just a few points below the final score of the previous game.
UConn played two very low-scoring matchups against Creighton and Villanova — two similarly slow-paced teams. It’ll look different against the faster-paced Xavier, but I don’t see either team reaching 80 points this time.
I think the pace will favor UConn, and we’ll see a game in the 70-point range, which makes the under worth my play.
