Marshall at Xavier College Basketball Picks & Predictions 12/19/2017

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Cintas Center

Get todays College basketball odds and lines on this game.

The Marshall Thundering Herd head to Cintas Center to take on the Xavier Musketeers on Tuesday, December 19, 2017. The opening line for this matchup has Xavier as 22.5 point favorites.

Marshall heads into this matchup with a mark of 8-3. They currently have a point differential of 6.3 as they are averaging 90.2 points per contest while giving up 83.9 per game. Xavier has an overall record of 10-1. They are averaging 88.4 points per game and surrendering 69.5, good for a point differential of 18.9.

Valuable Marshall Thundering Herd Betting Trends

The Marshall Thundering Herd are 3-5 against the spread this season

The Marshall Thundering Herd are 5-3 against the over/under this year

Important Xavier Musketeers Betting Trends

The Xavier Musketeers are 9-2 against the spread this season

The Xavier Musketeers are 8-3 against the over/under this year

Key Marshall Thundering Herd Injuries

11/07/17 G Rondale Watson Eligibility is out indefinitely

Key Xavier Musketeers Injuries

No key injuries to report

Player Spotlight

Jon Elmore averages 24.2 points per contest while playing 36.9 minutes per night this year. He grabs 4.2 rebounds per contest and distributes 7.5 assists per game. His FG percentage is 51% while his free throw percentage is 83%. C.J. Burks averages 19.6 points per contest in 34.5 minutes per game this year. He averages 2.5 assists per game and 3.9 rebounds per contest. His field goal percentage is 48% for the season while his free throw percentage is 82%.

Player Spotlight

Trevon Bluiett scores 21.4 points per contest while playing 32.5 minutes per game this season. He hauls in 5.5 rebounds per contest and has 2.8 assists per game on the season. His FG percentage is 51% and his free throw percentage is at 88%. J.P. Macura averages 11.9 points per game this year and he sees the court an average of 27 minutes per game. He also brings in 4.4 rebounds per game and has 3.1 assists per contest. His field goal percentage is 50% and his free throw percentage is 84%.

Useful Team Statistics

Marshall averages 90.2 points per contest this year, which is 10th in the nation. Their average scoring margin is 6.3 and their shooting percentage is 49% as a unit, which has them ranked 47th. From 3-point territory they shoot 33%, which is good for 254th in Division 1. They average 36.8 boards per contest and 17.0 assists per game, which ranks them 164th and 38th in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they are 171st with 13.7 per game. The Thundering Herd allow 83.9 points per contest, which is 335th in the country. They also surrender a 45% shooting percentage and a 41% average from 3-point range, ranking them 235th and 342nd in defensive field goal percentage. Opponents average 40.5 rebounds a game which ranks 332nd, and they allow 15.7 assists per game which puts them in 299th place in college basketball. They force 16.4 turnovers per game which ranks them 299th in D-1.

Useful Team Statistics

Xavier is 14th in the country with 88.4 points per contest this season. They are 3rd in the nation in shooting at 53%, while their average scoring margin is 18.9. They shoot 39% from beyond the arc, which is good for 55th in Division 1. They are 67th in the country in rebounding with 39.2 boards per contest and 23rd in assists per game with 18.0. The Musketeers are 295th in turnovers per contest with 12.0. The Musketeers give up 69.5 points per game, which ranks them 122nd in the nation. Their defense surrenders a 39% shooting percentage and a 31% average from behind the 3-point line, ranking them 35th and 68th in those defensive statistics. They rank 56th with 11.2 dimes allowed per game and 24th with 30.5 boards surrendered per contest. The Musketeers are 15th in college basketball in forcing turnovers with 11.1 per contest this year.

Advanced Statistics

The Thundering Herd are 249th in the country in defensive rating with 104.1, and their offensive rating of 111.8 is ranked 74th. They are 8th in college basketball in pace with 78.8 possessions per 40 minutes, and their eFG% of 56% is 51st. As a unit they are 40th in the nation in true shooting percentage with 59% and they shoot 3-pointers on 42% of their shot attempts, ranking 87th in D-1. Marshall is 255th in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 15.3 times per 100 possessions while forcing 17.6 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 52%, which is 254th in the country.

Advanced Statistics

Xavier is 292nd in college basketball in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 14.7 times per 100 possessions while forcing 13.4 on the defensive end. Their defensive effective field goal percentage for the season currently is 45%, which is 36th in the nation. The Musketeers are 3rd in the country in offensive rating with 123.5, and their defensive rating of 97.1 is ranked 128th. In terms of pace they are 157th in Division 1 with 71.6 possessions per 40 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 60% is 5th. As a team they are 3rd in D-1 in true shooting percentage with 64% and they shoot 3-pointers on 35% of their shots, ranking 247th in the nation.

Who will win tonight's Marshall/Xavier college basketball game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take Marshall +22.5

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