Xavier Musketeers vs TCU Horned Frogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/5/24

Betting on today’s Musketeers and Horned Frogs game? Catch the action at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, TX, as the Horned Frogs hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 144.5 points, and TCU is favored by -1.5 vs. Xavier.

XAVIER MUSKETEERS VS TCU HORNED FROGS BETTING PICK

The Pick: TCU Horned Frogs -1.5

This game will be played at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena at 8:00 ET on Thursday, December 5th.

WHY BET THE TCU HORNED FROGS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Horned Frogs.
• Not only will TCU pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Do the Musketeers Stand a Chance in Fort Worth?

Xavier improved to 7-1 on the season with a 71-68 win over South Carolina State on Sunday. The Musketeers were heavy favorites at -26.5 but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 139, falling short of the 147.5 O/U line.

Xavier led 32-26 at halftime but allowed 42 points in the 2nd half while scoring 39. Despite the win, the Musketeers will look to tighten up their defense moving forward.

Xavier put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 45.5% from the field and 50% in effective field goal percentage. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 5 of 18 threes for 27.8%, but were strong inside, connecting on 57.7% of their two-point attempts.

The Musketeers made 26 free throws on 36 attempts, shooting 72.2% from the line, and grabbed 5 offensive rebounds. Zach Freemantle led the way with 17 points and 7 rebounds, while Omar Croskey added 16 points, hitting 3 of 7 threes. Dayvion McKnight and Michael Teal each contributed 14 points, with Teal also making 3 of 7 from deep.

Defensively, Xavier gave up 68 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 45% from the field, with 20 made baskets on 44 attempts. Inside the arc, the Musketeers allowed 15 two-point field goals at a 57% clip.

Xavier’s defense held their opponent to 5 made threes on 18 attempts, a 27% shooting percentage. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 36 times, where they converted 26 free throws for a 72% success rate. Xavier allowed 5 offensive rebounds.

Can the Horned Frogs Please their Home Crowd?

TCU Horned Frogs Recent Game/Games

The Horned Frogs fell to 4-3 on the season after a 76-72 road loss to Colorado State on Friday. TCU went into the game as 5-point favorites but couldn’t cover the spread.

After trailing 32-31 at halftime, TCU scored 35 points in the 2nd half but allowed 34. The total points for the game hit 148, going over the pre-game O/U line of 139.5.

In their latest game, TCU’s offense struggled from the field, shooting just 33.9% overall and 32.4% on two-point attempts. They connected on 36% of their threes, hitting 9 of 25 from deep. The Horned Frogs also made 21 free throws, shooting 70% from the line.

Nique Clifford led the way with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists, shooting 60% from the field. Frankie Collins added 18 points and 8 rebounds, despite shooting just 29.4% overall.

TCU’s defense gave up 76 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 43% from the field, hitting 29 of 67 attempts. Inside the arc, TCU allowed 21 of 40 shots for 52% shooting.

From three-point range, TCU’s opponents made 8 of 27 attempts, shooting 29%. The Horned Frogs also sent them to the line 12 times, where they converted 10 free throws for 83%.