With March Madness only a couple months away, another intriguing showdown on the college hardwood will be in store as the 4th-ranked UConn Huskies take on the Xavier Musketeers. Check out our college basketball odds series where our UConn-Xavier prediction and pick will be revealed.

The defending champs from last season are certainly no joke this season. The Huskies have stormed out to a 13-2 record including a 3-1 conference mark in Big East play. With three straight victories after losing by 15 points on the road at Seton Hall, it seems like UConn is playing some of its best ball at the perfect point of the season.

Meanwhile, Xavier is a tough opponent to beat on their home floor, and there are reasons to believe  the Musketeers have what it takes to upset the Huskies. Thus far, Xavier is only 7-7 overall on the season including a 6-3 mark at home. Despite the Musketeers not looking like their usual NCAA Tournament self to begin the year, don't sleep on head coach Sean Miller's crew whatsoever.

Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: UConn-Xavier Odds

UConn: -4.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -196

Xavier: +4.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +162

Over: 145.5 (-110)

Under: 145.5 (-110)

How to Watch UConn vs. Xavier

Time: 8:30 ET/5:30 PT

TV: Fox Sports 1

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why UConn Will Cover The Spread

At first glance, the average fan or bettor would expect that UConn is a much better team than Xavier. But the last thing the Huskies want to happen is to get lackadaisical in what should be a hostile environment at Cintas Center.

For starters, the one way UConn can avoid having an epic meltdown will be to attack Xavier in the form of forward Stephon Castle, who not only was voted as the Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year but is also well on his way to becoming a guaranteed first-round pick in next year's NBA Draft. At 6'6 with solid length and broad shoulders, Castle has emerged as a two-way force in his freshman season for coach Dan Hurley.

Unfortunately, the Huskies will still be without star big man Donovan Clingan, who suffered a right foot injury in the Dec. 2oth loss to Seton Hall. Before going down with the tough setback, Clingan was averaging 13.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. Clearly, the Huskies will need to continue to find creative ways to replace that type of production.

Most importantly, UConn is a disciplined bunch that ranks 11th in both field-goal percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio. Likewise, this team won't commit a whole lot of unforced errors and is one of the most well-coached squads college basketball has to offer.

Why Xavier Will Cover The Spread

Remember when Xavier defeated UConn a year ago by a score of 83-73? Let us not forget that game served was a springboard for the Musketeers to eventually finish as the Big East runner-up before embarking on a Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament.

These Musketeers may not be as talented as last year's team considering they sit at .500 and will need to put things into high gear sooner rather  than later. Still, this could be the game that puts them back on the map.

In order for that turnaround to take place, Xavier may need to figure out a concrete starting lineup, which has eluded Miller all year long. With a lack of consistency compared to last year's squad, the Musketeers are often forced to seek out the unlikeliest heroes to get the job done each game.

Keep your eyes peeled on leading scorer Quincy Olivari, who is averaging 17.9 points per game and is as dynamic as they come. With a 55.5% three-point shooting clip at home this season, Olivari could be in line for a monstrous game vs. UConn.

Nevertheless, boxing out and making sure there Huskies don't have their way on the offensive glass will be a must. Indeed, UConn will be Xavier's sixth opponent this season that ranks within the top-10 in the nation when it comes to offensive rebounding, so limiting second-chance opportunities will be vital for the Musketeers to shock the Huskies.

Final UConn-Xavier Prediction & Pick

It doesn't get much better than Big East basketball! In this matchup of amjor proportions, side with the defendin- champion UConn Huskies to flex their winning DNA, putting them over the top of a struggling Xavier squad.

Final UConn-Xavier Prediction & Pick: UConn -4.5 (-110)