Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Xavier Musketeers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/16/24
Betting on today’s Demon Deacons and Musketeers game? Catch the action at Cintas Center in Cincinnati, OH, as the Musketeers hosts this showdown at 12:00 ET on FS1. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 157.5 points, and Xavier is favored by -5 vs. Wake Forest.
WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS VS XAVIER MUSKETEERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Xavier Musketeers -5
This game will be played at Cintas Center at 12:00 ET on Saturday, November 16th.
WHY BET THE XAVIER MUSKETEERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Musketeers.
- Not only will Xavier pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 157.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Is A Road Victory Likely for Underdog Wake Forest?
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Recent Game/Games
Wake Forest picked up an 85-80 win over USC Upstate on Wednesday, November 13th. The Demon Deacons were heavy favorites at -29 going into the game, but they didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 165, surpassing the over/under line of 152.
Wake Forest led 41-38 at halftime and added 44 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42 points to USC Upstate. Although they got the win, the Demon Deacons’ performance was closer than expected.
Wake Forest put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 50.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 58.2%. Their two-point shooting was outstanding at 72.4%, while they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 26.9% (7/26) of their threes. At the free-throw line, they connected on 66.7% of their attempts, going 22/33.
Mister Dean led the way with 24 points in 24 minutes, shooting 71.4% overall. Hunter Sallis added 23 points and 6 assists, and Davin Cosby hit 5 threes, shooting 71.4% from deep. Efton Reid III was efficient inside, making 83.3% of his shots and grabbing 8 rebounds.
Wake Forest’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 80 points while allowing the opposition to shoot 50% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable inside, where they allowed 72% shooting on two-point attempts (21/29).
From beyond the arc, Wake Forest held their opponent to 26% shooting, with just 7 made threes on 26 attempts. However, they sent their opponent to the free-throw line 33 times, where they converted 22 free throws (66%). Wake Forest also gave up 11 offensive rebounds.
Can the Musketeers Deliver Being Favored at Home?
Xavier cruised to a 94-57 win over Jackson State on Tuesday, November 12th, at home. The Musketeers entered the game as heavy favorites, laying 26 points, and covered the spread with ease. The total points for the game ended at 151, just under the 155-point O/U line.
After leading 40-25 at halftime, Xavier turned up the heat in the 2nd half, scoring 54 points while holding Jackson State to 32. The Musketeers’ strong 2nd half performance was key to their dominant win.
Xavier’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 94 points while shooting 54.1% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 67.2%, thanks in large part to their 51.6% shooting from beyond the arc, where they connected on 16 of 31 attempts.
The Musketeers also dished out 28 assists, with Zach Freemantle contributing 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. Jayme Mitchell Jr. led the way with 26 points, hitting 5 threes at a 50% clip.
Despite Xavier’s defensive struggles, allowing 57 points on 54% shooting, they managed to limit their opponent’s scoring. The Musketeers gave up 33 field goals, including 16 three-pointers on 51% shooting.
From the free-throw line, Xavier’s opponent shot 80%, converting 12 of 15 attempts. The Musketeers allowed 6 offensive rebounds in the game.