Xavier Musketeers vs Cincinnati Bearcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/14/24
The Musketeers and Bearcats are set to face off at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bearcats will host the game at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH. The over/under for this game is set at 144.5 points, and Cincinnati is favored by -7 against Xavier in a non-conference matchup.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS VS CINCINNATI BEARCATS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Cincinnati Bearcats -7
This game will be played at Fifth Third Arena at 2:00 ET on Saturday, December 14th.
WHY BET THE CINCINNATI BEARCATS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-68 in favor of the Bearcats.
- Not only will Cincinnati pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -7.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Will Xavier Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?
Xavier improved to 8-2 on the season with a dominant 119-58 win over Morgan State on Tuesday. The Musketeers, playing at home, were heavy favorites at -29.5 and covered the spread comfortably. The game’s total points reached 177, surpassing the over/under line of 155.5.
Leading 52-24 at halftime, Xavier poured in 67 points in the second half while allowing 34. Their offensive and defensive performances were both impressive as they cruised to victory.
Xavier’s offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 119 points with a 60.3% field goal percentage and an effective field goal percentage of 69.1%. They were deadly from beyond the arc, hitting 66.7% of their threes (12/18), and also connected on 73.5% of their free throws (25/34).
Zach Freemantle led the way with 27 points and 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes, shooting 72.7% from the field and 66.7% from three. Marcus Foster added 18 points, hitting 66.7% of his threes (4/6), while Ryan Conwell was perfect from deep, going 2/2 from three.
Despite Xavier’s defensive struggles, giving up 58 points on 60% shooting, they managed to hold their opponent to just 58 points. The Musketeers allowed 29 two-point field goals on 50 attempts, a 58% shooting rate.
From beyond the arc, Xavier’s defense gave up 12 threes on 18 attempts, with their opponent shooting 66% from three. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 34 times, where they converted 25 free throws at a 73% rate.
Can the Bearcats Hold Strong at Home?
Cincinnati improved to 7-1 on the season with an 84-67 win over Howard on Sunday. Playing at home, the Bearcats were -28.5 favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 151, exceeding the O/U line of 141.
Leading 36-32 at halftime, Cincinnati pulled away in the 2nd half, outscoring Howard 48-35.
Cincinnati’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 84 points with a 53.1% shooting performance from the field. They were particularly effective inside, hitting 63.4% of their two-point attempts, and their effective field goal percentage stood at 59.4%.
Blake Harper led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Simas Lukosius added 18 points, shooting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Aziz Bandaogo was nearly perfect, hitting 8-of-10 shots for 17 points, and Dillon Mitchell contributed 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
Despite giving up 67 points, Cincinnati’s defense struggled, allowing their opponent to shoot 53% from the field on 34/64 shooting. Inside the arc, they gave up 26/41 shooting for 63%.
From three-point range, Cincinnati allowed 8/23 shooting for 34%. They also sent their opponent to the line 13 times, where they made 8 free throws for 61%. Cincinnati gave up 14 offensive rebounds.