Xavier Musketeers vs. Kansas State Wildcats Betting Odds

Opening Line: Kansas State -4.5 / Xavier +4.5 O/U 154

Time: 9:37 PM EST Thursday March 25. 2010 on CBS

Tonight in West Region Sweet 16 match up the 6th seed Xavier Musketeers host the 2nd seed Kansas State Wildcats. The Wildcats are in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1988 and they have been flying under the radar all season, but many are picking them to be a Final 4 team.

Xavier has looked solid in their first 2 games and they have a great backcourt. Xavier has taken out 2 teams from major conferences in beating Minnesota of the Big 10 and Pittsburgh of the Big East in their 1st 2 NCAA tournament games.

This season Kansas State is 20-9-1 ATS and Xavier is 22-11 ATS.

In their 2nd round wins Xavier beat Pittsburgh 71-68 and Kansas State beat BYU 84-72.

The Wildcats have a very well-balanced team with 2 guards and 2 forwards averaging in double figures led by Jacob Pullen (19.2 ppg). In the win over BYU in the 2nd round the backcourt duo of Pullen and G Denis Clemente combined to score on 46 points. Pullen was en fuego going for 27 points and was 7/12 beyond the 3-point arc.

In their won over BYU the Wildcats out-rebounded the Cougars and played great defense holding them to only 39.6% shooting from the field.

Xavier also has a solid backcourt with 2 guards averaging in double figures led by high scoring Jordan Crawford (20.2 ppg). Crawford had a great game in their 2nd round win over Pittsburgh going for 27 points including going 4/7 from 3-point land.

The Wildcats' frontcourt duo of Jamar Samuels (11.3 ppg 5.1 rpg) and Curtis Kelly (11.2 ppg 6.2 rpg) have to give KSU some offense and have to play good D against Xavier big man F/C Jason Love (11.8 ppg 8.5 rpg). In Xavier's win over Pitt Love had 14 points and 8 boards.

Much like Kansas State Xavier also played great D in their 2nd round win holding Pitt to only 39.1% shooting and they also only committed 7 turnovers.

Both teams can really shoot lights out from deep so each has to play solid perimeter defense tonight. Xavier had a 3-pt FG% of 50% in their last game and Kansas State was at 40.7% so the team that is hot from deep will have a big advantage.

Betting Trends

Kansas State is 8-0 ATS in their last 8 non-conference games, 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 games as a favorite, and has an Under record of 7-2 in Wildcats last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage above 60%.

Xavier is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games, 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS win, and has an Over record of 4-1 in their last 5 games.

Our Selection : Take Kansas State -5