The No. 23 Providence Friars (19-7) will have their chance to beat the Big East’s best team when they take on the No. 8 Xavier Musketeers (22-3) at Cintas Center. The game gets underway at 7:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and will air on FS1.
The Musketeers come into this game hoping to repeat their last performance, defeating Butler 74-57 on Saturday. Edmond Sumner had 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists for Xavier. The Friars, meanwhile, are coming off a 75-72 win over Georgetown on Saturday. Rodney Bullock claimed his seventh double-double of the season with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
A focal point for Xavier is getting to the free throw line. It ranks 30th in the nation in FTA rate (43.3), but Providence is among the best in the nation at keeping opponents away from the charity stripe (ranking 22nd by yielding a FTA rate of 27.8).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Musketeers won the first game 75-68. Kris Dunn had a standout performance with 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, seven steals, and one three-pointer in the loss.
The Musketeers have gone 22-3 Straight Up (SU) and 15-10 Against The Spread (ATS). Xavier has been struggling of late. In the last 10 games, Xavier has only averaged 71.2 points per game compared to the 79.5 they’ve averaged on the season. The Musketeers have a distinct advantage on the boards in this matchup. They are the 17th-ranked rebounding team in Division I, averaging 41.1 per game, while the Friars rank 139th in the nation with 37.0 per game. Xavier’s three-point defense can be considered one of the best in the nation. The Musketeers allow a .310 opponent three-point field goal percentage, one of the lowest shooting rates in the nation.
Over on the other bench, the Friars have records of 13-12 ATS and 19-7 SU. The Friars rank 45th in the country in road scoring, averaging 75.6 points per game. The Friars are an unselfish team with an average of 16.0 assists per game, ranking 40th in Division I. Moving on to the Providence defense, the Friars have one of the best opponent three-point field goal percentages in the country at .305.
The Musketeers’ win over Providence in their last game brought their SU record to 3-2 over Providence in their most recent games. With a 3-2 record, the Friars have the advantage ATS. Neither team was able to hold the edge in field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers over the course of their latest five contests.
Predictions: SU Winner – Xavier, ATS Winner – Xavier
Notes
“Xavier is 14-7 ATS in its last 21 games “.
“Xavier is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games “.
“Xavier is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home”.
“Xavier is 15-1 SU in its last 16 games at home”.
“The total has gone OVER in 5 of Xavier’s last 6 games at home”.
“The total has gone OVER in 7 of Providence’s last 8 games on the road”.
The Xavier Musketeers average 79.5 points per game, ranking 34th in the nation. The Providence Friars rank 99th in points allowed with 69.3.
Xavier averages 81.7 points per home game (ranked 48th). Providence allows 71.3 points per away game (ranked 75th).
The Xavier Musketeers rank 51st for their offensive rating of 112.5. The Providence Friars have a defensive rating of 97.9 (ranked 58th).
The Xavier Musketeers average 70.7 possessions and 1.125 points per possession in games this season. The Providence Friars average fewer possessions with 70.0, as well as fewer points per possession with 1.059.
The Providence Friars average an effective field goal percentage of 47.7% this season. The Xavier Musketeers have a formidable 7-2 record in games where opponents have an eFG% of 47.7% or greater.
On average, Xavier attempts 20.0 three pointers and Providence attempts 21.0. Both teams have winning records when they have 20 or more three point attempts. The Xavier Musketeers sit at 15-2 and the Providence Friars are 12-5.
Xavier ranks 74th in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.23, while Providence ranks 43rd with an A/TO of 1.34.
Xavier ranks 43rd in offensive rebounding. Providence ranks 213th in defensive rebounding.
The Xavier Musketeers make an average of 7.1 steals per game. When the Providence Friars allow 7 or more steals, they are a winning 8-4.
