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It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Xavier TCU prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Xavier TCU.
The Thursday menu of games in college basketball is not spectacular, but this is one of the better offerings on the docket.
Xavier defeated South Carolina earlier this season, but it almost lost to South Carolina State this past weekend at home. Xavier went off as a favorite of close to 25 points, but it led by only one in the final seconds and needed to hit some pressure-packed free throws to escape against a cupcake-level school in a buy game. Coach Sean Miller has to be wondering how prepared and mentally locked in his team truly is. This game against TCU, part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle series in college basketball, might give us a much better indication of where the heads of Xavier players are. There should be no problem in getting up for this game. TCU has made itself into an NCAA Tournament program under coach Jamie Dixon. Xavier should relish the challenge of going up against the Horned Frogs.
That said, TCU has not started this season in good form. There is a lot to be concerned about for Dixon, whose team let one slip away a few days ago against Colorado State on a neutral floor, losing a Feast Week game in overtime against the Rams. TCU needs to bounce back from that stinging loss and beef up its nonconference resume before entering the cutthroat Big 12 Conference season.
This is a matchup of equals on a number of levels, beginning with both teams being hard to pin down. These teams are hard to calibrate from a betting perspective for a lot of reasons, but one chief reason is that they wander mentally. Their levels of focus rise and fall. These teams go in and out of rhythm very easily and can't maintain a steady and consistent way of being. One of the old truths about sports and sports success is that inconsistent teams get better and find a way to win not by maximizing the good runs they have within a game, but by minimizing the bad stretches, not letting two bad minutes bleed into six or seven bad minutes.
That could be the key to Xavier-TCU. Giving up a 5-0 run but not a 13-2 run, and being able to reduce the length and severity of an in-game lull, could be what separates these two sides when it's all said and done.
Here are the Xavier-TCU College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Xavier-TCU Odds
Xavier: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +102
TCU: -1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -122
Over: 144.5 (-115)
Under: 144.5 (-105)
How to Watch Xavier vs TCU
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN Plus
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Xavier Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Musketeers' near-loss to South Carolina State was a wakeup call for this team. The Musketeers learned that they can't just show up and win. They can't merely out-talent other teams. They have to put in the work, run their sets crisply, and make sure they finish every action on the court. That's a good lesson to learn early in the season before bad habits become entrenched. That scare will make Xavier play really well in this game.
Why TCU Will Cover The Spread/Win
Seeing Xavier struggle with South Carolina State at home offers more than enough reason to think TCU can handle the visiting Musketeers in a more hostile setting. X has a lot of problems to sort out right now, and TCU can pounce on the Muskies before they get it right.
Final Xavier-TCU Prediction & Pick
This game feels like a total jump ball. Pass.
Final Xavier-TCU Prediction & Pick: Xavier moneyline
