Oakland vs Xavier Odds, Lines and Spread
- The Xavier Musketeers will host the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Wednesday at 12:00 PM EST
- Xavier was 12-5 at home last season while Oakland was 4-12 on the road
- See the odds, along with a betting preview and our best bet below
The Xavier Musketeers and Oakland Golden Grizzlies will get their college basketball season’s started on Wednesday at 12:00 PM EST when Oakland visits the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Oakland was one of the worst teams in the Horizon League last season, finishing sixth in the conference standings with a record of 14-19. Meanwhile, Xavier also finished sixth in their conference – the Big East – but with a record of 19-13.
The point spread here shows that Xavier is a 21-point favorite as they are expected to steamroll the Golden Grizzlies in their opener. As these teams get their season started, what’s the best bet for this contest?
Oakland vs Xavier Opening Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Golden Grizzlies | +2400 | +20.5 (-105) | O 143.5 (-105) |
| Xavier Musketeers | -10000 | -20.5 (-115) | U 143.5 (-115) |
Odds taken November 24th at FanDuel
How Good Is Xavier?
Xavier was a bit of an up-and-down team last season as they started very well, but they were lousy in conference play. After shooting out of the gates with nine wins in their first 10 games, they found themselves ranked No. 23. However, an 8-10 record in the Big East – as well as finishing the season on a three-game losing streak – left them to finish on a sour note.
🎥 | Tyrique Jones and Zach Freemantle each matched their career high against DePaul in the BIG EAST Tournament. pic.twitter.com/Sb5Oikclxv
— Xavier Basketball (@XavierMBB) March 12, 2020
The Musketeers will have to deal with some big changes this season as leading scorers Naji Marshall (16.8 points per game) and Tyrique Jones (14.0) are gone. That’s probably not going to be a concern in this spot, but those are some big shoes to fill. Paul Scruggs, the team’s third-leading scorer, and transfer Nate Johnson will be counted upon to step up.
There is also hope that highly-touted recruit Colby Jones is an immediate contributor. He’s a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports, and was ranked 118th nationally after improving significantly in his senior year in high school. If he’s ready, Xavier could be a scrappy bunch in the Big East.
Oakland Copes With Lots Of Turnover
The Golden Grizzlies weren’t very good last season, and there has to be concern about the turnovers. Not only are there eight new freshmen on the team, but the squad also lost five players to the NCAA transfer portal. Is there some underlying issue here? Head coach Greg Kampe is entering his 22nd season as the bench boss, so it’s unlikely there’s major turmoil. Still, it raises an eyebrow.
MID-MAJOR MONDAY 6’2 Sophomore G Rashad Williams out of Oakland is a BUCKET GETTER. The Detroit native averaged 19.5 PPG 3.1 RPG 1.8 APG this past season. He dropped 37 on Detroit and 34 on NKU this past season as well. NBA scouts take notice!! Kid is TOUGH 💯 @snipashad pic.twitter.com/GSPqTtvyfC
— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) July 13, 2020
Regardless, the amount of new faces is concerning – even if this team wasn’t very good last season. On the plus side, leading scorer Rashad Williams (19.5 points per game) is back as well as Daniel Oladipo, who averaged 9.2 points per game along with 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
What’s The Best Bet?
Xavier isn’t exactly a powerhouse, but they are still a Power Five program. They’re going to be a question mark when it comes to Big East conference play but against a mid-major – especially against a team that wasn’t very good last season – they should be able to cruise to a win.
THE XAVIER MUSKETEERS CAME TO PLAY! @XavierMBB is on a 30-4 run on #10 Seton Hall. WOW. #LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/lfKp7N17yx
— #BIGEASThoops (@BIGEASTMBB) February 1, 2020
Oakland has a lot of work to do to rebuild their roster, develop an identity, and find the right pieces. They are getting a lot of points in this matchup, so it’s understandably tempting to take them in this spot. However, they aren’t likely to get the answers they need on Wednesday. Given how they performed on the road last year – winning just four of 16 away contests – it’s hard to have confidence in them. Look for a big Xavier win in this one.
Best Bet: Xavier -20.5 (-115)
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
