Auburn vs Xavier NCAA Basketball Betting Preview

It’s always exciting to see if any of the College Hoops Odds teams are going to make it through the season unscathed. There is always something a little more intriguing about a game that features an unbeaten team, even this early in the season. The Xavier Musketeers are there right now, and they will host the Auburn Tigers at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, OH on Saturday, December 19. Tip-off is set for 12 PM EST.

A Closer Look at the Tigers Vs Musketeers NCAA Basketball Betting Preview

Congratulations to the architect of #TheRun, Lionel Chalmers, on his induction into the XU Hall of Fame! @nolye888 pic.twitter.com/17kqzNKc0o

— Xavier Basketball (@XavierMBB) December 18, 2015

Being unbeaten and playing at how means that Xavier are probably very deserving of their straight up. Auburn will be looking to win, and bettors will hope that they can cover the spread. Another great option is, as always, the OVER/UNDER.

Why bet on the Auburn Tigers

Auburn are off to a steady, if unspectacular, 5-2 start to the season, and are coming into this one after knocking off Mercer 78-71. The Tigers have been a pretty good bet against the spread, as their last 12 games overall have seen them go 9-2-1 ATS. They were able to cover in the win over Mercer, and that bodes well for this one given that they are 5-1-1 ATS in the last 7 games following one where they covered. Auburn have also performed well versus teams with a winning percentage of .600 or higher, going 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6. The OVER/UNDER has gone 5-1-0 in Auburn games this season, with the Tigers averaging 87.1 PPG and giving up 77.9 PPG.

Why bet on the Xavier Musketeers

Xavier come into this one with a perfect 10-0 record to start the season, and they have already knocked off a pair of ranked teams to get things rolling. They won their opening game of the season by 9 points, and have gone on to win the remaining 9 by double digits. They are 7-3-0 ATS so far this season, despite the fact that they have been made very heavy favorites in many of their games. Xavier have managed to go 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games versus opponents from the SEC. The OVER/UNDER record in Xavier games this season is 7-3-0, and the Musketeers are averaging 81.4 PPH while giving up 63.1 PPG.

My Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

These two teams last met back in 2014, and it was Auburn who came away with a thrilling 89-88 OT win. I don’t see the Tigers pulling off the upset here, and I like Xavier to continue with their double digit winning trend.Auburn Tigers 70 Xavier Musketeers 80