Providence vs. Xavier Picks, Predictions, Odds

There is currently a three-way tie atop the Big East basketball standings. The Providence Friars and Xavier Musketeers are tied with the Marquette Golden Eagles at 9-2 in conference play.

Providence and Xavier will break at least a part of that tie when they face off in mid-week action on Wednesday. This is the first matchup between these two teams this season, and the rematch will be the penultimate game of the regular season for both teams.

On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, the Xavier Musketeers will host the Providence Friars at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. This game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Providence Friars vs. Xavier Musketeers Betting Prediction

Sean Miller has immediately made Xavier a program to be reckoned with once more after his return to the Musketeers.

Miller won over 70% of his games during his five-year stint on the sidelines before leaving for Arizona in 2010, so Xavier was more than happy to bring him back into the fold after Travis Steele failed to take the team to the NCAA Tournament in any of his four seasons with the team after Chris Mack left for Louisville.

Xavier won 11 straight games before falling in two of its last three road games, and the Musketeers haven't dropped a home game since mid-November. That bodes well for their chances against the Providence Friars on Wednesday night.

Score Prediction: Xavier 84, Providence 78
Best Bet: Xavier -2.5 (-110)

Providence Friars vs. Xavier Musketeers Betting Odds

Providence Friars vs. Xavier Musketeers Betting Resources

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023
TV-Time: FS1, 6:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Cintas Center
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Matchup
Expert Picks

Big East Championship Odds

Providence Friars vs. Xavier Musketeers Betting Stats

Providence Friars
SU: 17-5
ATS: 14-8
O/U: 10-12
PPG: 78.4
OPPG: 68.2

Xavier Musketeers
SU: 17-5
ATS: 12-9-1
O/U: 15-6-1
PPG: 83.2
OPPG: 75.9

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

Providence Friars Betting Analysis

The Providence Friars are just 2-4 against teams in Ken Pomeroy's Top 50. Providence is a team that takes care of business against everyone else though, and the Friars' lone loss came on a neutral court against Saint Louis in late November.

Forward Bryce Hopkins is the best player on the team, and he is nearly averaging a double-double a game. Hopkins leads the Friars with 16.4 PPG and 9.1 RPG, and he has been a welcome addition since transferring in from the University of Kentucky. He is making 48.6% of his field goals, but his perimeter shooting has left something to be desired. Hopkins is making just a third of three-point attempts.

Ed Croswell is also a double-double threat that is averaging 12.5 PPG and 7.3 RPG. Unlike Hopkins, we haven't seen Croswell take any shots from downtown, and that has helped him make 61.8% of his field goals as a presence in the low post. Devin Carter and Noah Locke are also scoring in double figures for Providence as the Friars rank 19th in offensive efficiency. They do a very good job on the offensive glass, ranking in the top ten in offensive rebound percentage, but three-point shooting has been a major problem. Locke is the best three-point shooter on the team at just 36.2% this season.

Xavier Musketeers Betting Analysis

Xavier ranks sixth in offensive efficiency this season by Pomeroy. The Musketeers rank eighth in effective field goal percentage too, as Sean Miller has helped revamp the office and made it run much smoother. There are assists on a whopping 67% of their field goals, ranking fourth nationally in the country.

Souley Boum is the leading scorer on the roster, averaging 16.1 PPG. Boum is a solid all-around player with 4.1 RPG and 4.9 APG, and he is an efficient perimeter shooter on top of that. He ranks 81st in three-point shooting in the country, sinking 44.2% of his perimeter shots. Zach Freemantle, Colby Jones, and Jack Nunge are right behind Boum in terms of scoring. Freemantle is averaging 15.2 PPG and leads the team with 8.1 RPG, while Jones is averaging 14.5 PPG with 4.8 RPG and 5.0 APG. Nunge is averaging 14.1 PPG and 7.8 RPG, so you see synergy between Boum and Jones and between Freemantle and Nunge.

Freemantle and Jones have been with Xavier since the start, while Nunge was added as a transfer from Iowa prior to the start of last season. Boum is the only one of the four that is a newcomer, highlighting how Xavier just needed a new coaching staff that can get the best out of these players. There are some real concerns on defense though, and those issues must be addressed if the Musketeers are going to make any kind of noise when they return to the NCAA Tournament.