- Texas comes into the game on a six-game win streak, including five straight postseason wins.
- Xavier’s biggest strength will be their size, as no player on Texas stands taller than 6’9” and rebounding remains a weak point for the Longhorns.
- Xavier leads in most offensive categories but ranks far behind Texas in defensive rating.
Texas has -180 odds to beat Xavier, with an over-under set at 148.5 points.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Texas Longhorns will square off against the four-point underdog Xavier Musketeers on Friday night for the last game in the Sweet 16 Round. The Longhorns’ defense and the Musketeers’ size advantage will be the biggest things to watch in this clash of powerhouses.
Texas has prided itself on its defense during its win streak, even demolishing Kansas twice in the games leading up to the tournament by an average margin of 18. Online gambling sites have thus given them -180 odds to win outright, but also have posted intriguing player props for the matchup.
Texas vs Xavier Odds
- Money line: Texas (-180) vs Xavier (+155)
- Spread: Texas -4.0
- Total: 148.5
Xavier Must Exploit Longhorn’s Weaknesses
The Musketeers come into this game as four point underdogs and have generally struggled this year against higher ranked teams, losing four out of five games in the regular season to opponents ranked in the top 12.
However, against Texas there is one big advantage on Xavier’s side being big man Jack Nunge. Nunge towers over his colleagues and opponents alike at a massive 7’0”, 245 lb. frame and leads Xavier in rebounds (7.7).
Texas is a phenomenal matchup for Nunge as they have a much shorter team, with no player exceeding 6’9” or averaging more than five rebounds per game. Combine this with Texas being a generally less efficient shooting team and there should be plenty of opportunities for Nunge to dominate the glass.
This all bodes very well for Nunge’s prop of 7.5 rebounds at -120 odds to go over on March Madness gambling sites.
Total Under Sports Attractive Value
With Texas on a defensive tear in which they have allowed their opponents to score less than 70 points in six straight games, there is value to be had betting the under (-110) on the 148.5 total.
Xavier, despite totaling 157 points vs Pittsburgh last game, has also gone under this total in six out of their last 10 games. Texas similarly went under in eight of their last 10, including holding the Kansas Jayhawks to under 60 points in two of them.
Overall, the top lines to bet on this game rely on these two teams playing to their strengths, with Xavier’s Jack Nunge holding a huge height and rebounding advantage over Texas while the Longhorns will look to continue their phenomenal defensive play that has stifled many great teams throughout the season.
Minor Trends to Know
- Texas has won seven out of eight and Xavier has won five out of eight neutral site games this year.
- On the year, Xavier is 17-13-1 ATS while Texas is 14-17.
- Texas is +210 to win the Midwest Region while Xavier is +700.