Xavier vs Creighton Odds, Spread & Predictions (Jan. 28)

Xavier Betting Outlook

Xavier has one of the top offensive teams in the country. The defense? Not so much.

The Musketeers are third in Division I in three-point field goal percentage (40.3), fifth in overall field goal percentage (50.3) and eighth in scoring (84.0). However, they are 314 in three-point defense (36.2%) and 326 in points allowed (75.5).

Senior guard Souley Boum is second in the Big East in scoring, averaging 16.8 points a game. The UTEP transfer is also dishing 5.0 assists and grabbing 4.2 rebounds a game.

Against UConn, Boum was 5 of 7 on three-point attempts and finished with 21 points and three assists. It was his ninth 20-point game of the season.

Junior forward Colby Jones added 20 points and four assists, though he also had six of Xavier’s 15 turnovers. He has scored at least 20 points in back-to-back games and reached that mark five times this season.

Jones’ 5.1 assist average stands fourth in the conference. He is also averaging 4.9 rebounds.

Senior forward Jack Nunge contributed 12 points and seven rebounds. Senior forward Jerome Hunter added 11 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting.

Nunge is averaging 14.3 points and 8.0 rebounds. He is fifth in the Big East in boards.

Senior forward Zach Freemantle is fourth in rebounding and has averages of 15.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Senior guard Adam Kunkel is a fifth Xavier player with a double-figure scoring average at 10.2.

Xavier shot 53.4% (31 of 58) on Wednesday, including draining half of its 20 three-point attempts. The Musketeers held UConn to 32.6% (10 of 31) in the first half while building a 39-24 lead.

Creighton Betting Outlook

Junior center Ryan Kalkbrenner is a force inside for Creighton. His 73.8 shooting percentage and 2.2 blocked shots a game lead the Big East.

With +25000 Wooden Award odds, Kalkbrenner is also averaging 15.0 and 6.9 rebounds. He was 7 of 8 from the floor Wednesday against St. John’s as he contributed 16 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.

Kalkbrenner scored 14 points in the first half when Creighton took a 52-39 lead.

Senior guard Baylor Scheierman had a strong all-around game with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. The transfer from South Dakota State notched his ninth double-double of 2022-23.

Scheierman has averages of 13.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists. His rebounding average is good for third in the conference.

Sophomore guard Ryan Nembhard also had a big night with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go with six assists. He is third in the Big East in assists.

Sophomore forward Arthur Kaluma added 14 points and sophomore guard Trey Alexander chipped in with 12 points and three assists. Creighton shot 56.7% (38 of 67) and committed just seven turnovers.

Alexander has a 13.0 scoring average. Kaluma is scoring 12.4 points and grabbing 6.2 rebounds a game.

Xavier vs Creighton Prediction

Xavier has won four straight games against Creighton, including a 90-87 victory on Jan. 11 in Cincinnati. Boum had a game-high 26 points and eight assists in that game while Jones added 20 points for Xavier. Scheierman’s 25 points topped Creighton.

Look for Creighton, which is playing well since its early season struggles, to turn the tables in this one.

Pick: Creighton -4 (-110)

Season record: 21-18 (+1.2 units) ATS, 1-6 (-4.5 units) ML