Xavier vs Seton Hall Odds & Picks (Feb. 24)

• No. 16 Xavier is laying one point in the Xavier vs Seton Hall odds on Friday night
• The Musketeers took the first meeting between these two programs 73-70 at home
• Check out the latest Xavier vs Seton Hall odds and best bets below

On paper, no. 16 Xavier (20-8, 12-5 Big East) versus unranked Seton Hall (16-12, 9-8 Big East) looks like a major mismatch. The Musketeers rank 36 spots higher in KenPom’s overall efficiency metrics, and are in contention for the Big East title.

However, online sportsbooks expect an extremely tight affair when the two teams meet on Friday night per the college basketball odds.

Xavier vs Seton Hall Odds

The Musketeers are currently 1 point favorites, in a contest with a total of 141. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm ET at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, with FS1 providing the broadcast coverage.

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Odds as of February 21 at DraftKings Sportsbook. 

Xavier vs Seton Hall Betting Trends

Neither team enters play in strong form. After racing out to an 11-2 conference mark, Xavier has dropped three of four. Two of those losses have come against unranked programs, but all three defeats have been within two points or less.

Seton Hall on the other hand, has also dropped three of four. Two of the three losses were against top-20 National Championship odds contenders in Creighton and UConn, while the team is just 1-8 versus ranked opposition this season.

This matchup is a clash of strength on strength. The Musketeers are a top-11 offense per adjusted offensive efficiency, while the Pirates are a top-13 defensive unit. Their first meeting produced a 73-70 victory for Xavier, in a matchup where neither team could get much going from long range.

Week 16 Big East Power Rankings:

1. Marquette
2a. Providence
2B. Creighton
4. Xavier
5. UConn
6. Seton Hall
7. Villanova
8. Butler
9. St. John’s
10. DePaul
11. Georgetown

— Big East Bar Room 🎙 (@BigEastBarroom) February 19, 2023

Both squads shot below 26% from three, which is unlike the Musketeers. Xavier enters play shooting 39.4% from three, the fifth best mark in the nation. They rank third in overall field goal percentage and number one in assists per game.

Their 82 points per game average is a top-eight mark nationally, while the Musketeers give the ball away at one of the country’s lowest rates.

Xavier’s weakness is in its own end, but fortunately for them, Seton Hall is not built to take advantage of that. The Pirates rank 250th in points per game, and 273rd in effective field goal percentage. They average 14 turnovers per game, compared to only 12 assists.

Seton Hall stays competitive thanks to the nation’s 35th ranked scoring defense. They’re holding enemy shooters to just 40% from the field, and 29.8% from beyond the arc. The Pirates have held four of their last five opponents below 69 points, and just limited no. 18 UConn to 64 points in a nine-point loss.

Xavier vs Seton Hall Predictions

The combination of Seton Hall’s underwhelming offense and stingy defense has led to a plethora of under games featuring the Pirates. Seton Hall is 9-3 to the under in its last 12 games, despite only three of those contests featuring a total north of 140. The Pirates have seen 58% of their contests fall short of the total so far, including eight of 13 at home.

Given their strengths and weakness are the exact opposite of Seton Hall’s, you’d expect Xavier to be a heavy over team. That’s been the case at times this season, but certainly not lately. The under has hit in each of the Musketeers last four contests. Two of those games came in 20+ points under the total, while the under has hit in four of their past five road tilts.

Xavier is now 3-3 in February. The team's remaining schedule:

at Seton Hall
at Providence
vs. Butler

The Musketeers better be careful, because that could turn into another losing streak heading into the Big East Tournament.

— Matt St. Jean (@mattstdream) February 22, 2023

The first meeting between these two teams failed to clear the total, and we should expect this one to as well. Expect better efficiency from Xavier from three, but still to fall short of its usual offensive expectations.

Pick: Under 141 (-110)