NCAA Predictions: Is Xavier giving up too many points to Florida State?

Florida State vs. Xavier Pick

Can top-seeded Xavier avoid an upset tonight when the Musketeers face No. 9 Florida State in the NCAA Tournament?

GAME SNAPSHOT

NCAA Tournament West Region: (719) Florida State vs. (720) Xavier

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee

TV: TNT, 8:40PM ET

CURRENT ODDS

According to oddsmakers at YouWager, Xavier is favored in this game, as the Musketeers are getting odds of -5.5 points against Florida State. The over/under total is currently listed at 156 points.

LINE MOVEMENT

The spread opened up with Xavier as a 5.5-point favorite as well. The line climbed to 6 points quickly, but then fell back to 5.5. The over/under total opened at 160 points but has been falling fast over the last day.

Bet on College Basketball for Sunday, March 18, 2018

PUBLIC BETTING INFORMATION

The public is backing Xavier tonight. As of Sunday morning, the Musketeers are getting 66 percent of the wagers on this game as a favorite against Florida State.

KEY INJURIES

Xavier comes into this game healthy, with nobody listed on the injury report. Florida State guard Terance Mann is listed as questionable for tonight due to a groin injury. Mann averages 12.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game for Florida State. Mann is not expected to be available tonight due to the injury.

BETTING STRATEGIES

FSU fought its way past Missouri on Friday night, 67-54, as a 1-point favorite to open the tournament. Xavier picked up a 102-83 win over Texas Southern, pushing the 19-point spread it was given.

The loss of Mann will be a big blow for Florida State. The Seminoles are a team that needs to win with offense and it will now be without one of its biggest offensive pieces. Even with Mann, FSU was just 4-5 in its last nine and 2-7 against the spread in that stretch.

Xavier has won five of its last six and been able to score consistently. The Musketeers actually average more than Florida State in general, putting up 84.8 per game to FSU’s 81.3. Take away a big scoring piece for FSU, I find it hard to image that the Seminoles will be able to keep pace with the Musketeers. The FSU defense isn’t reliable enough to stop this Xavier attack.

NCAA TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS: XAVIER -5.5

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