An intriguing matchup between two ranked Big East teams is set to happen this Tuesday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, as No. 16 Providence plays host to No. 4 Xavier. The Musketeers are looking to boost their RPI credentials by beating their first ranked foe since a January 2 win over Butler. As for the Friars, they have a tasty opportunity to notch their third-straight victory against an AP poll top 25.
Read on for more about this game. You can also check out our preview Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma.
Betting on the Xavier Musketeers (17-2, 5-2 Big East)
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]After losing to Georgetown last Tuesday, the Musketeers needed a pick-me up win to restore their confidence and keep them in the thick of the Big East race. They got one on Saturday, when James Farr towed the team into an 84-76 win over Seton Hall.
Farr came off the bench and fired game-high 24 points to along with his 15 rebounds and three blocks. It was a herculean effort from the senior, who’ll play another crucial role this Tuesday against Providence. Farr has been a terrific frontcourt piece for the Musketeers, who are 16th in the nation in rebounds with 41.6 per game.
The Musketeers have an advantage on offense over a Providence team that ranks second worst in the conference in field goal percentage. The X-men are shooting 44.7% from the field, including a 36.1% clip from beyond the arc. While Providence allows just 6.2 threes per game, the Friars had trouble containing Villanova’s outside shooters in their previous game, letting the Wildcats bury eight triples.
Trevon Bluiett is Xavier’s most lethal scorer, as he’s averaging 15.4 points per game, while grabbing 6.8 boards per contest. Edmond Summer, meanwhile, appears to be over his recent concussion injury, as he’s averaged 12.7 points over the last three games.
Xavier is 7-3 SU and ATS in its last 10 games as the road team.
Betting on the Providence Friars (17-3, 5-2 Big East)
Kris Dunn isn’t the only player on the Friars’ roster. There’s been so much talk about Dunn and his NBA-potential that it’s easy to overlook Ben Bentil. Bentil deserves more attention that he’s getting, as the sophomore big man leads the Big East in scoring (19.2 PPG) and fifth in rebounding (7.9 RPG).
With Bentil playing awesome basketball alongside Dunn, the Friars have become one of the most tricky opponents to face this season, which No. 4 Villanova surely found out when it lost to Providence on Sunday, 82-76, in overtime.
Together with Rodney Bullock, Bentil gives Providence an imposing inside threat against Xavier. And with Dunn making sure that Providence’s big men are getting the ball down low, the Friars appear to be in line for another good performance.
Against Villanova, Bentil scored 31 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Bullock had eight points and five boards. Dunn, on the other hand, had another gaudy stat line that featured 13 points, 14 assists, five rebounds, and four steals.
Providence, which is averaging 74.1 points per game, while giving up 66.8 each contest, is 3-1 ATS in its last four games overall.
