Villanova vs. Xavier odds, line: College basketball picks, top predictions from model on 16-8 roll

No. 17 Villanova looks to get back on track when it visits Xavier in Big East Conference action Sunday. The Wildcats (20-7, 11-3) have lost two in a row and three of four and are one game behind Marquette in the conference standings. Xavier (14-13, 6-8) has won three in a row and is 10-5 on its home court. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. ET. Despite their recent woes, the Wildcats are 12-3 in their last 15 games. Villanova beat Xavier in the first meeting in January.

The Wildcats are favored by five points in the latest Villanova vs. Xavier odds, while the over-under for total points scored is 136. Before making any Villanova vs. Xavier picks of your own, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions from SportsLine’s proven model. 

This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has raked in the winnings for those following its picks. Over the past two years, the SportsLine Projection Model has returned over $5,200 to $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks. It also entered Week 16 of the 2018-19 college basketball season on a blistering 16-8 run on top-rated college basketball side picks either against the spread or on the money line. Anyone who has followed it is way up. 

Now the model has dialed in on Villanova vs. Xavier. We can tell you it is leaning over, and it has a strong against-the-spread pick that cashes in well over 50 percent of simulations. That one is only available at SportsLine.

Villanova, which hosts Marquette Wednesday, can’t afford to look ahead as it tries to win its first Big East regular-season title in three years. The Wildcats did win the conference tournament the past two seasons and the NCAA championship two of the past three years. Under coach Jay Wright, Villanova has made the NCAA Tournament in 13 of the past 14 seasons.

Senior guard Phil Booth (18.6 ppg) leads the Wildcats, and he has been red hot. He has surpassed his average in three of the past four games and six of 10, including 26 points at Georgetown on Wednesday. Senior forward Eric Paschall (17.3 ppg) has equaled or surpassed his average in seven of 10 games, including 25 vs. Providence on Feb. 13.

But just because the Wildcats have had a lot of recent success does not guarantee it will win or even cover the Villanova vs. Xavier spread. 

Villanova has lost its last three road games, while Xavier is aiming to keep its streak of winning seasons intact. The Musketeers have made the NCAA Tournament in 16 of the last 18 seasons and have posted winning records in 22 consecutive seasons. The last losing season was in 1995-96.

Sophomore forward Naji Marshall (14.3 ppg) has been on fire, equaling or surpassing his average in eight of 10 games, including 28 points at Seton Hall Wednesday. Sophomore guard Paul Scruggs (12 ppg) has played well in big games, including 21 points in a Jan. 26 loss to Marquette. Junior forward Tyrique Jones (11.5 ppg) has also played well against the Big East elite, scoring 21 points vs. Marquette and 21 against Villanova in the first meeting.

So who wins Xavier vs. Villanova? And which side of the spread can you bank on in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Xavier vs. Villanova spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $5,200 on its college basketball picks the past two years, and find out.