Musketeers vs Bearcats CBB Basketball Spread/Handicapping
This is always a highly anticipated game with last year’s brouhaha only adding to the lore of the series.
Xavier Musketeers (7-2) vs #11 Cincinnati Bearcats (10-0)
Wednesday December 19
U.S. Bank Arena – Cincinnati, OH
7:00PM
Moneyline: No ML currently listed at GTBets
Spread: Cincinnati -7.5
O/U: 134
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Xavier
Xavier is not expected to be as strong as they have been recently but this is a well coached team has just the two losses against an OK nonconference schedule. This will be their stiffest challenge as they look to continue their recent domination of the Bearcats in the Crosstown Shootout (Oops!)
So many of the faces have changed from last year for the Musketeers. The leading scorer is point guard and freshman Semaj Christon who is getting his career off to a fantastic start. He is not a long range bomber but he shoots better than 50% and is averaging 5.5 assists per game. Amazingly he is one of 4 players who average double figures in scoring so there is some depth to this team, especially in the backcourt.
Xavier has a 2-3-1 ATS record so far this season with both victories being of the underdog variety. Since it is early I haven’t seen as much of either team as I would like but you have to think that this team might struggles under the big lights of a rivalry game, especially when the talent side of the ledger looks unbalanced, and not in their favour. [ad-6571516]
Cincinnati
The Bearcats keep inching up those national rankings. Though conference talk is focused on the Catholic 7 and the eventual home for Cincinnati football, the basketball program is one of just two in the Big East that has been perfect this season and it looks like they can stay that way until conference play starts on New Year’s Eve…that is if they can get by Xavier, a team that has beaten them more often than not over the last 10 seasons.
We normally think of Cincinnati as having brutes up front but this year it is the backcourt leading the way. Sean Kilpatrick, Cashmere Wright and JaQuon Parker are the team’s top scorers putting up better than 45 points per game. All are strong 3 point shooters too. They do have the size to compete up front but don’t get the kind of production inside that they have in the past. As a result they are playing at a much faster pace and it is working.
Cincy has been a little light on the schedule until now. They have the 6th best scoring average in the nation and a very effective defense which should be a winning combination. They will be looking to make a statement in this one for a lot of reasons and could cruise. The only thing that makes me nervous is their free throw percentage if it stays close until the late stages.
Spread Pick: Cincinnati -7.5
O/U Pick: Over
Score Prediction: Cincinnati 74 – Xavier 65
