Xavier vs. DePaul Odds, Trends, and Picks: Back the Underdog in This Big East Matchup

The DePaul Blue Demons are starting to tumble after a strong start to the college basketball season, and things are not going to get easier tonight as they welcome in the eighth-ranked Xavier Musketeers. Here, look at odds and betting trends, and offer up a pick, for this Big East contest.

Xavier is the last remaining undefeated team in Big East play, and its three losses on the season came by a combined 13 points against Indiana, Duke, and Gonzaga. The Musketeers have had a few close calls recently but are riding an 11-game winning streak, including wins over Marquette, Villanova, UConn, St. John’s, and Creighton.

Meanwhile, the Blue Demons started the season with some promise, but things began to fall apart once the schedule got more challenging. They have lost six of their last eight, and their 2-5 record in conference play is concerning for their very outside chances of sneaking into the tournament. 

The good news is that Big East play is always some of the most entertaining basketball in the country, and if that does not excite you, then there is always the option of placing some betting action on the game. Luckily for the public, we found some real value in one side of this game.

Xavier vs. DePaul Betting Odds: Spread, Total, Moneyline

If you plan on placing a wager on this game, we advise you to look at all the top US online sportsbooks available. This will allow you to shop for the best odds and lines, which will help you greatly in becoming a profitable sports bettor. 

Here are the most up-to-date lines and odds for Xavier vs. DePaul so that you can get the best number possible. 

How To Watch Xavier vs. DePaul

Date: Wednesday, Jan. 18 | Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. ET

Location: Wintrust Arena – Chicago, IL

Where to Watch: FS1

Xavier vs. DePaul Betting Trends

Xavier

• Xavier is 5-0 against the spread (ATS) in their last five games
• The total has gone OVER in 16 of Xavier’s last 20 games
• Xavier is 3-6 ATS in their last nine games against DePaul
• Xavier is 12-3 SU in their last 15 games against DePaul

DePaul

• The total has gone UNDER in 10 of DePaul’s last 12 games against Xavier
• DePaul is 8-3 SU in their last 11 home games
• The total has gone UNDER in five of DePaul’s last five home games against Xavier
• DePaul is 5-0 ATS in their last five home games played on a Wednesday

Xavier Muskateers (15-3, 11-6-1 ATS)

Xavier has dominated the Big East and is doing it with an explosive offense. Offensively, they rank fifth in KenPom’s Adjusted Offensive Efficiency (AdjO), they are putting up 84.2 points per game, which is the most in the Big East, and they rank first in the country in assists per game (21.1). 

While they lead the country in assists per game, they are also ranked 259th in turnovers per game and 164th in turnovers per play, which will be a crucial stat to remember when picking this game. Over their last five games, DePaul is only 2-3, but they have scrapped and clawed to the finish line every night, and they are doing it by out-hustling the opposition. With just under 17 points off turnovers in their last five, the Blue Demons can take advantage of Xavier’s fast but sloppy offense. 

While Xavier does not have to worry about facing up against a good shooting team, the Musketeers’ defense has been a liability for a while, and they are just waiting to get burned. They give up 75.1 points per game, allow 15.4 assists per game, and force only 8.2 turnovers per game. 

Let’s not be mistaken here, Xavier is an outstanding team, and they could make a lot of noise this season, but their defense needs a lot of work if they want to keep their undefeated record in the Big East.

DePaul Blue Demons (8-10, 8-8-2 ATS)

The Blue Demons are in a funk right now, but they have an excellent chance at knocking off the best team in the Big East tonight. 

First of all, they’re much better at home, winning six of their eight games at Wintrust Arena, and their athleticism makes it hard to defend. The Blue Demons have four players averaging 10+ points per game, and their leading scorer, Javan Johnson, is one of their best playmakers and shooters, as he leads the team in 3P%. 

Secondly, DePaul, while not a great team overall, has an average scoring margin of -3.1, which in the grand scheme of college basketball is not good at all, but for the bettors, this means that they are scrappy, and they will keep things close. 

Now, even if they are a team that will not roll over and die, they will have their hands full trying to keep up with Xavier’s offense. DePaul’s offense is ranked 236th in effective field goal percentage (49%), 281st in shooting percentage (41.7%), 303rd in two-point shooting percentage (46.4%), and 223rd in field goals made per game (24.6). 

They are not horrible from outside, shooting 35.1% as a team, but they put up 24.6 three-pointers per game, and they are making an average of 8.6 every night, both of which rank inside the top 60 in the nation. 

Xavier vs. DePaul Betting Pick

Not only has Xavier converted five-straight games, but they have all come against Big East foes, covering by an average of 5.5 points over their last five games. Meanwhile, DePaul has been a good team to ride this season, and they are 3-1-2 ATS over their previous six. 

As mentioned above, the key to this game is how many turnovers DePaul can force. While they only force 13.9 turnovers per game, Xavier runs a fast-paced offense that is supposed to give them the edge against less athletic teams like DePaul. However, with that comes a lot of turnovers, and Xavier is one of the worst teams at turning the ball over in the Big East. 

Although the Muskateers have been wildly better throughout the season, DePaul is catching 8.5 points against a team they match up well with. Yes, Xavier has been a covering machine this season, but if you look at their last five games, the highest number they received as a favorite during that stretch was -3 against Marquette, where they walked out with a last-second cover. 

As at least an 8.5-point favorite this season, the Muskateers are 3-4. Xavier will find a way to win this game because they’re so talented, but with DePaul getting almost nine points, we will ride with the Blue Demons and the points. 

Pick: DePaul +8.5 (-110); odds via FanDuel Sportsbook