Xavier vs. Kennesaw State Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – NCAA Tournament Round First Round

The No. 14 Kennesaw State Owls (26-8) are 12.5-point underdogs to move on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament when they take on the No. 3 Xavier Musketeers (25-9) on Friday. Here are some insights into this 3-14 matchup in the Midwest Region bracket that starts at 12:40 PM, live on truTV. The matchup’s point total is set at 153.5.

Xavier vs. Kennesaw State Odds

• Xavier odds to win: -771
• Kennesaw State odds to win: +532
• Spread: Xavier (-12.5)
• Total: 153.5

Xavier vs. Kennesaw State Promo Codes

Game Time and Information

• Date: Friday, March 17, 2023
• Time: 12:40 PM ET
• TV: truTV
• Where: Greensboro, North Carolina
• Venue: Greensboro Coliseum

Who Will Win Xavier vs. Kennesaw State?

Xavier and Kennesaw State Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread

Xavier has a 3-6 record against the spread when favored by 12.5 points or more this season.

Kennesaw State has a 2-1 record against the spread in games when it was an underdog by 12.5 points or more this season.

The two teams average a combined 3.2 more points per game, 156.7, than this matchup’s total of 153.5 points.

Xavier and Kennesaw State have seen their opponents average a combined 10.5 fewer points per game than the point total of 153.5 set in this matchup.

The average total Xavier has had set in games this season is 2.0 more points than this outing’s point total.

The average point total for the Owls this season is 9.3 points fewer than this game’s over/under.

The Musketeers are 18-15-1 ATS this season.

The Owls have gone 21-10-0 ATS this year.

Xavier Stats & Insights

Xavier averages 81.4 points per game (12th in college basketball) while giving up 74.1 per outing (294th in college basketball). It has a +250 scoring differential overall and outscores opponents by 7.3 points per game.

Xavier comes out on top in the rebound battle by an average of 5.9 boards. It is pulling down 34.8 rebounds per game (35th in college basketball) compared to its opponents’ 28.9 per contest.

The Musketeers make 7.6 three-pointers per game (153rd in college basketball) compared to their opponents’ 7.5. They shoot 39.5% from deep while their opponents hit 35.9% from long range.

Xavier averages 101.4 points per 100 possessions on offense (15th in college basketball), and gives up 92.2 points per 100 possessions (198th in college basketball).

The Musketeers are scoring 83.6 points per game in home games. Away from home, they are averaging 80.5 points per contest.

Kennesaw State Stats & Insights

Kennesaw State has a +216 scoring differential, topping opponents by 6.4 points per game. It is putting up 75.3 points per game, 91st in college basketball, and is giving up 68.9 per contest to rank 141st in college basketball.

The 31.4 rebounds per game Kennesaw State accumulates rank 202nd in the nation. Their opponents record 30.5.

Kennesaw State knocks down 8.3 three-pointers per game (74th in college basketball) compared to its opponents’ 7.3. It shoots 36.8% from deep, and its opponents shoot 33.4%.

Kennesaw State’s 96.7 points per 100 possessions on offense rank 104th in college basketball, and the 88.5 points it allows per 100 possessions rank 93rd in college basketball.

In 2022-23 the Owls are scoring 9.2 more points per game at home (80.4) than on the road (71.2).

Xavier Key Players to Watch

Souley Boum leads the Musketeers in points and assists per game, scoring 16.5 points and distributing 4.4 assists.

Jack Nunge is Xavier’s best rebounder, pulling down an average of 7.8 boards in each contest while scoring 14.1 points per game.

Boum makes more threes per game than any other member of the Musketeers, knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 2.2 per contest.

Colby Jones and Nunge lead Xavier on the defensive end, with Jones leading the team in steals averaging 1.4 per game and Nunge in blocks averaging 1.1 per contest.

Kennesaw State Key Players to Watch

Chris Youngblood puts up 14.7 points per game to be the top scorer for the Owls.

Kennesaw State’s leader in rebounds is Brandon Stroud with 6.5 per game, and its leader in assists is Terrell Burden with 4.2 per game.

Youngblood is the most prolific from deep for the Owls, hitting 2.3 threes per game.

Kennesaw State’s leader in steals is Burden (1.7 per game), and its leader in blocks is Demond Robinson (0.9 per game).

Xavier vs. Kennesaw State Prediction

• Pick ATS:

  Kennesaw State (+12.5)
  

• Pick OU:

  Under (153.5)
  

• Prediction:
  Xavier 80, Kennesaw State 70

How to Bet on Xavier vs. Kennesaw State

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