The Wednesday college basketball betting menu kicks off with an intriguing Big East battle of Top 25 teams — and the home team has revenge on its mind.
No. 17 Xavier has had three weeks to stew over its blowout defeat to Villanova in Philadelphia. Now the Musketeers get their opportunity for vengeance when they host the 14th-ranked Wildcats.
With a victory, Villanova (4-1 in conference; tied with Providence) would take over sole possession of first place in the Big East standings. Meanwhile, the Muskateers (2-1) would climb within a half game of first place with a win.
In addition to Villanova-Xavier, an ACC powerhouse hits the road looking to bounce back from a shocking loss. Props.com breaks down the Wednesday college basketball betting odds for both games.
Odds via FanDuel and updated as of 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 12.
No. 14 Villanova Vs No. 17 Xavier
Villanova: 11-4 SU/9-6 ATS
Xavier: 12-2 SU/10-4 ATS
Spread/Total: Xavier -1.5/137.5
Last meeting: Villanova won 71-58 as a 5.5-point home favorite (Dec. 21)
About Villanova: The Wildcats opened conference play with a 79-59 loss at Creighton as a 7.5-point road chalk. Since then, they have won and covered four in a row, including a 75-41 destruction of Creighton in a rematch on Jan. 5 in Philly.
Villanova has topped 70 points in every game during its winning streak, but Jay Wright’s squad has been especially tough defensively. The Wildcats lead the Big East in scoring defense (61.6 ppg; 30th nationally). They’ve held nine of their last 10 opponents to 67 points or fewer, with seven of those foes failing to crack 60 points.
About Xavier: The Musketeers are 8-1 SU/6-3 ATS since Nov. 26, a stretch that includes victories over Oklahoma State (77-71), Cincinnati (83-63), and Marquette (80-71). Xavier, which went on a COVID-related pause after its Dec. 21 loss at Villanova, returned to action Friday and dumped Butler 87-72 as a 6.5-point road favorite.
The Musketeers have scored 77-plus points in seven of their last eight games. For the season, they’re averaging 76.4 ppg and yielding 62.7 ppg.
Players To Watch
Villanova guard Justin Moore ranks second in scoring (15.7 ppg), second in assists (2.3 apg), and third in rebounding (4.9 rpg) for the Wildcats. He’s shooting 37.1 percent from 3-point range.
Xavier forward Jack Nunge ranks second on the team in scoring (12.7 ppg), rebounding (7.1), and field-goal shooting (54.7 percent). The 6-foot-11 Iowa transfer exploded for 31 points and 15 rebounds against Cincinnati (Dec. 11).
Notable Trends
• Villanova is 0-4 ATS in its last four games as a road underdog
• Xavier is 7-1 ATS in its last eight at home (6-1 ATS as a home favorite)
• Under is 7-3 in Villanova’s last 10 overall
• Villanova is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 series meetings, and the favorite is 14-4 ATS in the last 18
• Under is 7-3 in the last 10 series clashes (3-0 last three)
Villanova vs Xavier Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:30 P.M. ET: An hour before tipoff, DraftKings has Xavier as a 1.5-point home chalk in its Wednesday college basketball betting market. That’s a flip from Tuesday’s Villanova -2 opener. But the visiting Wildcats are netting 63% of spread tickets and 54% of spread dollars. The total opened at 140.5, bottomed out at 136.5 this morning, and is now at 137.5. The Over is taking 69% of tickets, while 54% of money is on the Under.
No. 8 Duke Vs Wake Forest
Duke: 12-2 SU/7-5-2 ATS
Wake Forest: 13-3 SU/9-7 ATS
Side/Total: Duke -6 (-115)/151.5
Last meeting: Duke won 84-60 as a 7-point road favorite (Feb. 17, 2021)
About Duke vs. Wake Forest: The Blue Devils are 5-1 SU/4-2 ATS since falling to Ohio State on Nov. 30 (71-66). That one defeat came on Saturday, when Duke lost 76-74 to Miami as a hefty 15-point home favorite. The Blue Devils lead the ACC in scoring offense (83.3 ppg, 8th nationally), but they rank 86th nationally in scoring defense (64.7 ppg). Wake Forest is on a 7-2 SU roll (5-4 ATS) and is coming off consecutive ACC home wins over Florida State (76-54) and Syracuse (77-74 in overtime). Duke is 2-1 SU/1-2 ATS in ACC play; Wake Forest is 3-2 SU/ATS in league action.
Notable Trends
• Duke is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 road games
• Wake Forest has failed to cash in its last four as a home underdog
• Under is 5-2 in Wake’s last seven overall and 4-0 in its last four at home
• The road team is 5-2 ATS in the last seven series meetings
Duke vs Wake Forest Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:30 P.M. ET: Ninety minutes pre-tip, Duke is at its peak of -6 at DraftKings, after opening -4.5 and making multiple stops at each point on the way up. Ticket count and money are both in the 3/1 range on the Blue Devils. The total dipped from 151.5 to 150.5 this morning, but it’s now up to 152 on DK’s Wednesday college basketball betting board. The Over is attracting 56% of tickets/73% of money.
