Creighton vs Xavier Odds, Picks, Predictions NCAAB (1/11/23)

Creighton visits Xavier in Big East clash. The Blue Jays just lost to UConn in their last game on the road, while Xavier is coming off a win against Villanova on the road. This should be an interesting matchup in the Big East. Let’s take a look at the odds and make some picks and predictions for this game!

Creighton vs. Xavier Odds

Xavier is a 3-point home favorite against Creighton and is at -150 on the money line. The over/under is also at 152. Xavier being favored here makes sense because they’re at home, even though Creighton looks much better with Ryan Kalkbrenner back. The over/under also makes sense because these teams can score very well and play decent defense. This spread should stay where it’s at before tip-off too.

Creighton vs. Xavier Prediction & Pick

The pick: Creighton +3

Creighton had huge expectations this year, but they hit a wall and lost six straight games at one point. That skid was in large part because their star, Ryan Kalkbrenner, was out for a period of time. Since he’s been back, the Blue Jays have only lost one game. Kalkbrenner is the leading scorer for Creighton and the leader in blocks too. Arthur Kaluma and Trey Alexander are next in line for scoring production. They both have been great for the Blue Jays this year when needed. Baylor Scheierman has also been great as a transfer and leads Creighton in rebounds and steals. As a team, the Blue Jays have been very good on the defensive side of the ball, but need to be more consistent on offense. On the other side, Xavier’s been a decent surprise so far this year.

Souley Boum has been the best player for Xavier this year and leads the team in scoring at 17 point per game. Zach Freemantle has also been great for the Musketeers this year. He’s just behind Boum in scoring and leads the team in rebounds too. Jack Nunge and Colby Jones have also been great for Xavier. Nunge leads the team in blocks and Jones leads in assists and steals. As a team, Xavier’s excelled on the offensive side of the ball. The Musketeers are 9th in the country in scoring and are 3rd in field goal percentage at 51%. Xavier’s been on a roll and is one of the better surprises in college basketball, but this is the perfect time for them to slip up a bit. Creighton’s healthy and is in prime position to go on a run in the Big East, starting here. Creighton will definitely make this game close and could even win outright too.

Creighton vs. Xavier Key Matchups

Can Jack Nunge matchup with Ryan Kalkbrenner? Can Ryan Nembhard matchup with Souley Boum?

Ryan Kalkbrenner vs Jack Nunge

Ryan Kalkbrenner has been the definition of a difference maker for Creighton. He averages 15 points, 1 assist, and 7 rebounds for the season. His matchup for most of the game will be Jack Nunge who averages 15 points, 2 assists, and 7 rebounds for the season. Nunge has been great at the center position for the Musketeers, but Kalkbrenner is a different matchup for him. These both are very similar, but Kalkbrenner is more versatile. This matchup will have a huge impact on who wins because of how important each player is.

Souley Boum vs Ryan Nembhard

Souley Boum has been great as a do-it-all point guard for Xavier. He averages 17 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds for the season. His matchup will be Ryan Nembhard for most of the game and he averages 12 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds for the season. Boum is more electric on offense than Nembhard, but Nembhard is better on defense. Since point guard is so important, this matchup will be huge in deciding who wins this game. Expect this matchup to be the most competitive in this game.