The college basketball betting action goes on with the Crosstown Shootout from Cintas Center in Cincinnati on Saturday, December 11, 2021, so we bring you the best Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Xavier Musketeers betting pick and odds. 

Xavier aims for its third straight win over Cincinnati. Last year, the Musketeers beat the Bearcats 77-69 as 3-point road underdogs and a total of 137.0 points. This time around, Xavier is a firm home fave on BetOnline Sportsbook.

The Bearcats eye their third consecutive W 

After a couple of straight losses to Arkansas 73-67 at the neutral site and Monmouth 61-59 at home, the Cincinnati Bearcats (7-2; 4-5 ATS) have won two games in a row, outlasting Miami (OH) 59-58 and Bryant 73-58 in the process.

Cincinnati barely defeated the RedHawks as a 3.5-point road fave, overcoming an eight-point second-half deficit. The clash against the Bulldogs was an easy one, but the Bearcats still failed to cover a 15.5-point spread on the home court. Senior guard David Dejulius (13.0 PPG, 2.3 APG) had 16 points and three assists against Bryant, while junior G Jeremiah Davenport (11.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG) sat out due to an ankle injury.

Davenport is questionable for Saturday’s game, so the Bearcats will need more from sophomore forward Viktor Lakhin, who posted a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double against the Bulldogs. Cincinnati is No. 40 in the NCAA NET Rankings and No. 69 in the latest KenPom rankings.

The Musketeers hammered Ball State for their fourth straight win  

The Xavier Musketeers (8-1; 7-2 ATS) are coming off a 96-50 victory to the Ball State Cardinals this past Wednesday. They easily covered an 18-point spread at home, extending their winning streak to four games.

The Musketeers dominated Ball State on both sides of the ball. They shot 53.1% from the field and 48.0% from downtown (12-for-25) while handing out 21 assists. Xavier held the Cardinals to only 29.7% shooting from the field and forced 20 turnovers in a dominant defensive performance.

Junior forward Zach Freemantle returned from his foot injury last Wednesday and dropped 24 points on Ball State. His return is a huge boost for Xavier’s frontcourt, as Freemantle is the reigning Big East MIP. The Musketeers are No. 18 in the NCAA NET Rankings and No. 27 in the KenPom rankings.

Trends:

Cincinnati:

  • 1-4 ATS in the last five games overall
  • 0-5 ATS in the last five road games against Xavier 
  • 0-5 ATS in the last five games played in December 

Xavier:

  • 7-1 ATS in the last eight games overall
  • 6-2 ATS in the last eight games against Cincinnati
  • 5-0 ATS in the last five games at home 

Cincinnati vs. Xavier Pick

The Musketeers are 6-2 SU and ATS in their last eight meetings with the Bearcats. I’m expecting Xavier to extend its dominance in this matchup because of its prolific offense that is tallying 110.0 points per 100 possessions (39th in the country). Freemantle’s return will mean a lot to the Musketeers, especially in a matchup with Cincinnati’s defense that is yielding only 92.8 points per 100 possessions (37th).

Xavier is a tough defensive team, too. The Musketeers rank 30th in the country in points allowed per 100 possessions (92.0) and 21st in blocks per game (5.7). On the other side, the Bearcats are scoring just 103.5 points per 100 possessions (138th) on 42.3% shooting from the field (263rd) and 29.2% from downtown (308th). They’ll struggle to keep pace with the Musketeers.

Pick: Take Xavier                  

The Total:

The over is 4-1 in the last five meetings between Xavier and Cincinnati. The Bearcats’ last six games have gone under the total, while the under is 6-3 in the Musketeers’ previous nine outings at any location.

Xavier loves to push the ball in transition and look for easy baskets. The Musketeers register 71.3 possessions per 40 minutes (59th in the country). On the other side, the Bearcats average 67.3 possessions per 40 minutes (241st). They’ll try their best to slow things down and force Xavier into half-court basketball, so we shouldn’t see a high-scoring affair.

Pick: Go under