Xavier vs. Seton Hall Odds, Trends, Picks: Can the Pirates’ Defense Keep Big East Matchup Close?

The No. 16-ranked Xavier Musketeers will look to rebound off a tough loss to Villanova as they head to the Garden State to take on the Seton Hall Pirates at 7 p.m. ET on FS1. Not only should this be an exciting Big East showdown, but if you are looking for the best bet for tonight’s game, we have got you covered as we will break down the Xavier vs. Seton Hall odds, trends, and picks. 

After starting the season hot and looking like one of the best teams in college basketball, Xavier has lost three of its last four games, and they now sit two games back of Marquette for the top spot in the Big East standings. On the other side, Seton Hall has also lost three of its last four, but they currently sit five games back in the conference standings.

Even though Xavier has been the better team this season, the oddsmakers expect a close game. Is this a good spot to back the Pirates playing spoiler, or will the better team walk away with a huge road win as we approach the most critical month in college basketball?

Xavier vs. Seton Hall Betting Odds: Point Spread, Moneyline, Total

Most of the top US sportsbooks have the Pirates listed as a slight one-point home underdog, but each sportsbook will have different odds and lines for Xavier vs. Seton Hall. To help you, we have included the odds and lines from some of our favorite mobile sportsbooks to ensure you get the best number for tonight’s game.

Xavier vs. Seton Hall Betting Trends

Xavier

• The total has gone Under in four of Xavier’s last five games
• Xavier is 5-11 against the spread (ATS) in its last 16 games against Seton Hall
• Xavier is 15-5 straight up (SU) in its last 20 games
• The total has gone Under in five of Xavier’s last seven conference games

Seton Hall

• The total has gone Under in nine of Seton Hall’s last 12 games
• Seton Hall is 1-4 against the spread (ATS) in its last five home games
• The total has gone Under in four of Seton Hall’s last five home games against Xavier
• The total has gone Over in six of Seton Hall’s last nine games against Xavier

Xavier Musketeers (20-8, 15-12-1 ATS)

Xavier comes into this game in a funk, but they are still one of the more dangerous teams in the country, especially when they have the ball. They rank 10th in KenPom‘s Adjusted Offensive Efficiency rating, eighth in points per game (81.9), and inside the top five in assists per game (20.3), shooting percentage (49.8%), made field goals per game (30.4), and three-point percentage (39.4%).

While they have only managed to crack 70 points once in this mini-skid, Xavier still has a stable of offensive weapons, including senior Souley Boum, who leads the team in scoring and is shooting 45.5% from the field and 41.1% from deep. He is one of many scoring threats on this team, as the Musketeers’ entire starting lineup averages double-figures.

They will be without leading rebounder Zach Freemantle due to a foot injury, which could spell trouble against this Seton Hall defense. At the end of the day, this is an explosive offense that plays with the 27th-quickest pace, according to KenPom, and they have multiple players on the court that are threats to score in bunches.

Now, they struggle on the defensive side of the court, ranking 81st in KenPom’s Adjusted Defensive Efficiency rating and giving up the 281st-most points per game. In the first meeting with Seton Hall, they allowed a weak Pirates’ offense to put up 70 points, and during this recent stretch of play, Xavier’s lethal offense is only averaging 70.7 points per game.

Seton Hall Pirates (16-12, 15-11-1 ATS)

Seton Hall is the bizarro world version of Xavier. They play tremendous defense, ranking 13th in KenPom’s Adjusted Defensive Efficiency rating and 34th in scoring. Offensively, they are pretty terrible. 

The Pirates are only putting up 67.8 points per game, do not shoot the ball well from anywhere (especially from deep, as they are only hitting 32.4%of its three-pointers), and do not have a reliable scorer they can turn to when things start getting stale on offense. Leading scorer Al-Amir Dawes is only scoring 12.7 points per game, and he is the most reliable shooter on the team, which is saying a lot for a guy who only shoots 40.6% from the field. 

Seton Hall will not win this game with its offense — that much is for sure. However, they are as good as anyone on the defensive end of the court. With Xavier’s recent struggles, the Pirates are in prime position to knock off the Musketeers with great defensive play and taking advantage of a Xavier offense that is down its leading rebounder and has not been playing up to par. 

Teams are only shooting 29.8% from deep on the Pirates where Xavier likes to do most of its damage. If they can defend the three-point line as they have been doing all season, they can make things uncomfortable for Xavier and force them to play outside of its typical style of play. 

Xavier vs. Seton Hall Betting Pick

Xavier is undoubtedly the better team, but Seton Hall has the perfect team to cause some chaos and keep this game close. However, a one-point spread is not comfortable enough for us to take either side, so we will focus on the total for Xavier vs. Seton Hall. 

As you can see by the trends, the Under has been the more profitable side for both teams as of late, and the total has gone under in 17 of Seton Hall’s last 25 home games. While most of that is due to its defense against weaker Big East opponents, we will be rocking with the Under in this one. 

Xavier is only down Freeemantle from its starting lineup, but he leaves a big hole in the rebounding department, further increasing Seton Hall’s chances of getting stops and changing possessions. The Pirates will play its style of basketball, and if they succeed, this game should go well under the number. 

Pick: Under 141.5 via DraftKings Sportsbook

How To Watch Xavier vs. Seton Hall

Date: Friday, Feb. 24, 2023
Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Prudential Center – Newark, NJ
Where to Watch: FS1