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Xavier Musketeers vs Seton Hall Pirates December 31st 2024
Betting on today’s Pirates and Musketeers game? Catch the action at Cintas Center in Cincinnati, OH, as the Musketeers hosts this showdown at 2:00 ET on PEAC. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 131.5 points, and Xavier is favored by -9.5 to win at home against Seton Hall.
Pirates vs. Musketeers Key Information
- Sport: CBB
- Teams: Seton Hall Pirates at Xavier Musketeers
- Where: Cincinnati at Cintas Center
- Date: Tuesday, December 31st
- Betting Odds XAV -9.5, SETON +340 | XAV -455 O/U 131.5
The Pirates Can Win If…
The Pirates dropped to 5-8 on the season after a narrow 61-60 loss to Georgetown on Sunday. Seton Hall, who were +1.5 point underdogs, covered the spread but couldn’t secure the win.
Trailing 32-23 at halftime, Seton Hall made a strong push in the second half, outscoring the Hoyas 37-29. The game’s total points of 121 fell short of the 129.5 O/U line.
Seton Hall’s offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 29.9% from the field and 12.5% from beyond the arc, hitting only 3 of 24 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 32.8%, and they managed just 8 assists as a team.
Isaiah Coleman led the Pirates with 25 points, shooting 8 of 20 from the field and 1 of 4 from three-point range. Thomas Sorber was efficient, hitting 8 of 12 shots, finishing with 19 points and 8 rebounds.
Seton Hall’s defense was dominant, giving up just 61 points while holding their opponent to 29% shooting from the field. They allowed 20 made field goals on 67 attempts.
From beyond the arc, Seton Hall limited their opponent to 3/24 shooting, a 12% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 23 times, where they made 17 free throws.
- Across their ten previous road games, Seton Hall has an ATS mark of 4-6. Their straight up record in these matchups was 3-7 while averaging 64 points per game.
- Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Seton Hall has an ATS mark of 3-2 while going 1-4 straight up.
- Over their last five games, the Pirates have an over/under record of 3-2 and are 2-3 vs. the spread.
The Musketeers Can Win If…
Xavier fell to 8-5 on the season after a 72-70 home loss to Marquette on Saturday, December 21st. The Musketeers entered the game as +4 point underdogs but managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 142, falling short of the 152.5 O/U line.
After trailing 27-22 at halftime, Xavier put up 48 points in the 2nd half but allowed 45 points to Marquette, leading to the narrow loss.
Xavier put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 46.2% from the field and 31.6% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage stood at 51.9%, with a solid 54.5% shooting inside the arc. The Musketeers also hit 80% of their free throws, going 16-for-20 from the line.
Kam Jones led the way with 20 points and 8 assists, despite going 0-for-3 from deep. David Joplin added 19 points, hitting 2-of-6 from three, while Marcus Foster connected on 3-of-7 from beyond the arc, finishing with 16 points. Dailyn Swain contributed 13 points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
Despite giving up 72 points, Xavier’s defense allowed their opponent to shoot 46% from the field, with 18 of those baskets coming from two-point range at a 54% clip.
From beyond the arc, Xavier’s defense held their opponent to 31% shooting, with 6 made threes on 19 attempts. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 16 free throws.
- In their last five home games, Xavier has averaged 75 points per game while allowing 76. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-4 while going 3-2.
- In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Musketeers have a strong straight up record of 5-0. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.
- In their last three games, the Musketeers have an over/under record of 1-2 and are 2-1 vs. the spread.
The Lean
For a point-spread wager in this Musketeers vs. Musketeers game, we suggest taking the Musketeers at -9.5. Even though our predictions have the Musketeers winning 76-70, we see the Pirates as the better choice on the point-spread.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 131.5, and our model predicts the Pirates and Musketeers to score a combined 146 points. We recommend betting on the over.
Xavier and Seton Hall Battle for Their First Big East Win
Xavier and Seton Hall are heading into Tuesday’s matchup in Cincinnati with one big thing in common: neither has a Big East win yet. Both teams are in serious need of a turnaround, and this game might be the spark they’re looking for.
Xavier’s Season Hits a Rough Patch
Things were looking great for Xavier early in the season. They started with six straight wins, but since then, it’s been all downhill. The Musketeers (8-5, 0-2 Big East) are on a three-game losing streak, though to be fair, the losses came against tough opponents: Cincinnati, UConn, and Marquette.
The biggest blow has been the loss of Zach Freemantle, Xavier’s top scorer (16.9 PPG) and rebounder (7.7 RPG). Freemantle is out indefinitely with a knee injury, leaving the Musketeers short-handed.
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Coach Sean Miller knows it’s been tough but is focused on doing what they can with the players available:
With Freemantle out, Ryan Conwell has stepped into the spotlight. He’s been a scoring machine, averaging 16.2 points per game and hitting 43.9% of his three-pointers. Jerome Hunter is holding down the frontcourt, but Xavier is still searching for depth and consistency.
Seton Hall Needs to Find Its Groove
Seton Hall (5-8, 0-2 Big East) hasn’t had an easy go of it either. They’ve lost four straight games and five of their last six. Their most recent game, a 61-60 loss to Georgetown, pretty much sums up their season so far. They didn’t hold a lead the entire game but managed a furious comeback late, scoring the final 10 points before falling short on the last shot.
Coach Shaheen Holloway didn’t hold back when talking about the team’s struggles:
“What lost the game for us was spotting teams points in the first half. Then we waste a lot of energy coming back, and guys are fatigued.”
Isaiah Coleman has been a bright spot for the Pirates. He dropped a career-high 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds against Georgetown, and he’s now leading the team in scoring (13.9 PPG) and rebounding (5.0 RPG). Chaunce Jenkins (11.5 PPG) has been a solid contributor too, but the Pirates are still missing a reliable closer.
Holloway is hoping someone steps up to take charge when it matters most:
“At the end of the games, the players gotta make plays. We need someone who wants to be a closer and wants the ball in those moments.”
What to Watch For
- For Xavier: They need someone to step up in Freemantle’s absence. Ryan Conwell has been lights out from three, and they’ll need that efficiency to break down Seton Hall’s defense.
- For Seton Hall: Avoiding slow starts is a must. They’ve been playing catch-up too often, and it’s costing them wins. Also, someone—whether it’s Coleman or Jenkins—needs to emerge as the go-to guy in crunch time.
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Why This Game Matters
Both teams are winless in conference play, and that adds a little extra urgency to this matchup. For Xavier, it’s about proving they can stay competitive despite injuries. For Seton Hall, it’s a chance to end their losing streak and find some rhythm as Big East play heats up.
With two teams desperate for a win, this game has all the makings of a hard-fought battle. Don’t miss it—it’s going to be intense.
