The Xavier Musketeers take on the Butler Bulldogs. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Xavier Butler prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Xavier Butler.
The Xavier Musketeers are leading the Big East Conference. They have risen to the top in one short year under head coach Sean Miller, whose return to the school after several years with the Arizona Wildcats has been a clear triumph. Miller has whipped this team into shape after it missed the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The transformation has been so drastic that Xavier enters this game with an 11-2 Big East record, including a home-court win over Providence and a huge road win at UConn. Xavier leads Marquette by half a game and the Providence-Creighton combination by one full game in the standings. UConn is part of the middle pack at 8-6, so it's a four-team race with Xavier having the best chance to win the conference championship. Obviously, beyond the Big East title, Xavier also wants to maximize its NCAA Tournament seed. The Musketeers have never been to the Final Four. Neither has Miller as a head coach.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Xavier-Butler College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Xavier-Butler Odds
Xavier Musketeers: -7.5 (-102)
Butler Bulldogs: +7.5 (-120)
Over: 145.5 (-110)
Under: 145.5 (-110)
How To Watch Xavier vs. Butler
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: Fox Sports app
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET, 4:00 p.m. PT
*Watch Xavier-Butler LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Xavier Could Cover the Spread
This is a good, tough Xavier team. It ran into a buzzsaw at Creighton two weeks ago, but it has generally maintained focus this season. Xavier has several different weapons and a lot of different ways to win. The team is currently without top rebounder Zach Freemantle, but that hasn't stopped the X-Men from winning. They crushed St. John's by 25 points in their most recent game. Souley Boum is an accomplished scorer and passer. Jack Nunge and Colby Jones are strong second and third scoring options for X. Adam Kunkel hits big perimeter shots. There are a lot of ways for this team to win.
Also keep in mind that Butler has been struggling the whole season. The Bulldogs are just 4-10 in Big East play, 12-13 overall. They did just beat St. John's, but by a lot less than Xavier beat the Johnnies. Butler has lost four of its last five and simply doesn't play well on a consistent basis.
Why Butler Could Cover the Spread
The Butler Bulldogs beat Villanova at home and more recently handled St. John's at home. Butler struggles in general, but in Hinkle Fieldhouse, it struggles a lot less than it does in road games. Butler can ride Hinkle Magic to victory against a Xavier team which, while very accomplished and formidable, has stumbled a few times this season. The Musketeers notably lost on the road to DePaul. If they can lose on the road at DePaul, they can certainly lose on the road at Butler. Xavier will have games in which it loses focus and doesn't fully lock in. Butler is feisty and competitive enough on its home court that with a strong rebounding performance, it can limit second chances for Xavier and ultimately keeps the game close.
Final Xavier-Butler Prediction & Pick
Stay away from this game. Xavier will probably win, but Butler could easily cover. Consider a live betting play rather than a pregame bet.
Final Xavier-Butler Prediction & Pick: Xavier -7.5
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