Xavier vs. Texas

The deeper teams go in the tournament, the fiercer most defenses become. Xavier is on a 7-5 run UNDER the total holding three of its last four opponents under 68 points, including 7-5 UNDER the First Half Total. Xavier is also 15-5 UNDER the First Half Total after failing to cover four or five of the last six. Xavier knocked off UConn twice, 83-73 and 82-79, as underdogs of +3 and +6, and Villanova, 88-80, as a +2 dog, while covering as underdogs against Creighton, Marquette, and Gonzaga. Xavier is 16-6 ATS versus winning teams, plus 17-8 ATS against teams that outscore their opponents by 8+ points per contest. Texas is a strong defensive team, as well, third in the Big 12 in points surrendered (67.2 per game), and ranks 19th in the country in defensive turnover rate at 22.4%. The Longhorns are on a 9-2 run UNDER the total, including 5-3 UNDER the First Half Total. Texas is 26-53 ATS when working on five or six days of rest. The Texas guards are outstanding, but they pull up on jump shots rather than taking it right to the glass, and Xavier was third in the Big East in defensive rebounding anchored by 7-foot senior Jack Nunge (7.7 rpg) and 6-9 senior Zach Freemantle (8.1 rpg). With Xavier 11-3 UNDER the First Half Total after back-to-back games making 11 or fewer turnovers, the wagering value is on a low-scoring first half with the dog covering the game. Take Xavier + the First Half UNDER the total.