Seton Hall Pirates vs Xavier Musketeers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Seton Hall vs Xavier NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Cincinnati.

Seton Hall vs Xavier Prediction

Looking to win big? The Pirates and Musketeers face off at 2:00 ET on PEAC. The Musketeers are hosting the game at Cintas Center in Cincinnati, OH. The odds for this Big East conference game currently have Xavier as the -9.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 131.5 points.

Seton Hall vs. Xavier Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Seton Hall Pirates at Xavier Musketeers
Where: Cincinnati at Cintas Center
Date: Tuesday, December 31st
Betting Odds XAV -9.5, SETON +340 | XAV -455 O/U 131.5

Pirates Preview: Will Seton Hall Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?

Seton Hall Pirates Recent Game/Games

Seton Hall’s season record fell to 5-8 after a narrow 61-60 loss to Georgetown on Sunday. The Pirates, who were +1.5 point underdogs, managed to cover the spread but couldn’t secure the win at home.

After trailing 32-23 at halftime, Seton Hall outscored Georgetown 37-29 in the second half. The game’s total points of 121 fell short of the 129.5 O/U line.

Pirates Offense Breakdown

Seton Hall struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 29.9% from the field and 12.5% from beyond the arc, hitting only 3 of 24 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 32.8%, and they managed just 8 assists as a team.

Isaiah Coleman led the Pirates with 25 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 40.0% from the field. Thomas Sorber added 19 points on 66.7% shooting, while Jayden Epps contributed 15 points despite shooting 36.4%.

Pirates Team Defense

Seton Hall's defense was on point, holding their opponent to just 61 points on 29% shooting from the field. They limited two-point attempts to 39%, with the other team making 17 of 43 shots.

From beyond the arc, Seton Hall's defense was even more impressive, as they allowed just 3 threes on 24 attempts, a 12% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 23 times, where they converted 17 free throws, a 73% success rate.

Musketeers Preview: Do the Musketeers Have a Shot at a Home Win?

Xavier Musketeers Recent Game/Games

Xavier dropped to 8-5 on the season after a narrow 72-70 loss to Marquette on Saturday. The Musketeers were +4 underdogs going into the game but managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended up at 142, falling short of the 152.5 O/U line.

Xavier found themselves trailing 27-22 at halftime but came out strong in the 2nd half, scoring 48 points. However, they also allowed 45 points in the 2nd half, which ultimately led to their loss.

Musketeers Offense Breakdown

Xavier put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 46.2% from the field and 31.6% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 51.9%, and they knocked down 80% of their free throws, going 16-for-20 from the line.

Kam Jones led the way with 20 points and 8 assists, despite missing all 3 of his three-point attempts. David Joplin added 19 points, hitting 2-of-6 from deep, while Marcus Foster connected on 3-of-7 threes, finishing with 16 points.

Musketeers Team Defense

Despite giving up 72 points, Xavier's defense struggled to contain their opponent, who shot 46% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 54% shooting, with the other team hitting 18 of 33 two-point attempts.

From three-point range, Xavier's defense held their opponent to 31% shooting, with 6 made threes on 19 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 16 free throws, shooting 80%. Xavier gave up 6 offensive rebounds.

Pirates vs Musketeers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, Seton Hall has an ATS mark of 4-6. Their straight up record in these matchups was 3-7 while averaging 64 points per game.
Across the Musketeers last ten home games, the team averaged 74 points per game while allowing 79. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 4-6, while going 3-7 straight-up.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Pirates have a straight up record of 1-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 3-2.
In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Musketeers have a strong straight up record of 3-0. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.