The Xavier Musketeers will be at full strength when they take on the Central Michigan Chippewas in a nonconference matchup on Wednesday. The Musketeers (5-1) were down three players due to illness when they defeated Virginia Tech 59-58 on Friday. Xavier, which placed seventh in the Big East at 6-7 and was 13-8 overall in 2020-21, is 15-2 at home since the start of last season. The Chippewas (1-5), who placed 11th in the Mid-American Conference at 3-13 and were 7-16 overall last year, are 3-12 on the road since the start of last season. Xavier is averaging 70.7 points per game, while Central Michigan averages 62.7.
The game from Cintas Center in Cincinnati is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Musketeers are 24.5-point favorites in the latest Central Michigan vs. Xavier odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 143. Before making any Xavier vs. Central Michigan picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $2,100 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Central Michigan vs. Xavier and just locked in its CBB picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for Central Michigan vs. Xavier:
- Central Michigan vs. Xavier spread: Xavier -24.5
- Central Michigan vs. Xavier over-under: 143 points
- CMU: The Chippewas are 4-1 against the spread in their last five road games against a team with a winning home record
- XAV: The Musketeers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games vs. a team with a losing road record
Why Xavier can cover
Redshirt junior Jack Nunge, a transfer from Iowa, is off to a good start to his Musketeers career, averaging 12 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. He is connecting on 58.1 percent of his field goals. Nunge scored a career-high 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting against Iowa State on Nov. 24, and posted his first double-double as a Musketeer and the third of his collegiate career with 14 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in a 71-65 win over Ohio State on Nov. 18. Nunge is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, who averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22 games for Iowa last year.
Redshirt senior Paul Scruggs is also off to a fast start to the season, averaging 11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He scored 10 of Xavier's final 12 points in the win over Ohio State and leads the Musketeers in assists at 4.3 per game. Scruggs scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds against Kent State on Nov. 12. He is among the 20 watch list candidates for the 2022 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award.
Why Central Michigan can cover
The Chippewas aren't afraid to play a tough schedule and have lost to two Top-10 teams in just over a week, notching a 107-54 loss to No. 3 Gonzaga, and a 85-57 defeat against No. 9 Kentucky. Senior transfer guard Jermaine Jackson Jr. leads the team, averaging 13.2 points, 3.3 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. Jackson played and started 15 games at Long Island University last season, ranking third on the team in scoring at 15 points per game. He scored in double figures in 11 games, including five 20-plus games.
Another key contributor for the Chippewas is redshirt senior Harrison Henderson, who is playing on his fourth team in five seasons. In six games with Central Michigan, he is averaging 9.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. His best game was a 21-point performance against Bellarmine on Nov. 23. He also scored 11 points against then-No. 1 Gonzaga.
How to make Central Michigan vs. Xavier picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total. In fact, it says Central Michigan's Cameron Healy will better his season average by more than two points, while Xavier's Ben Stanley will score 15 points over his season average. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in over 50 percent of simulations. You can only get the model's Xavier vs. Central Michigan pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Central Michigan vs. Xavier? And which side of the spread hits in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Central Michigan vs. Xavier spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up nearly $2,100 on its college basketball picks the last five years, and find out.