No. 12 Xavier Musketeers at No. 22 Vanderbilt Commodores
Monday, 11/28/11, 7:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN2
Opening Point Spread: Vanderbilt -4
Current Betting Line: Vanderbilt -3.5
Opening Total: 141
Current Total: 141.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Xavier picked up an ultra-impressive 70-56 win over the Georgia Bulldogs as 10.5-point home favorites, leading by as many as 36 points in the second half. The Musketeers defense hasn’t allowed more than 63 points in four games this season, as they get ready to play their first road game of the 2011-12 campaign. The team has four players averaging double figures in scoring, led by junior guard Mark Lyons, who is scoring 17.8 points a night. Xavier is 4-3 ATS as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points the last two-plus campaigns.
The Musketeers will be interested to see how fifth-year senior Andre Walker responds tonight, starting 40 games for Vanderbilt in a span that began in 2007 before transferring. “It’s a weird experience,” stated Walker. “I don’t know how many people transfer and play their former team.” Xavier leads the all-time series, 4-0, but the two teams have met only twice since the 1947-48 season. Senior point guard Tu Holloway is the unquestionable leader of this group, being one of only three players that were named to the 2010-11 AP All-American teams to return this season.
Vanderbilt pushed its record to 5-1 on the year with a 95-73 win over Monmouth, dropping its only contest of the year against Cleveland State on Nov. 13. The Commodores shot a season-high 57.1 percent from the floor and 44 percent from behind the three-point line last time out. A problem for the team this season has been productivity on the charity stripe, hitting just 64.9 percent of its shots. Vanderbilt is 19-14 all-time against current member of the Atlantic 10 Conference and 32-31 ATS over the last two-plus seasons in all games.
The Commodores are led offensively by the play of guard John Jenkins, scoring 20.2 points per game and hitting 45.9 percent of his shots. He’s the SEC’s leading scorer and led five players in double figures with 18 points against Monmouth. Vanderbilt is 31-51 when playing ranked teams in the Kevin Stallings era, including a 22-17 record in games inside Memorial Gym. In 2010-11, the program finished with a 14-3 record inside Monday night’s venue, averaging 80.3 points per game and shooting 49.1 percent from the floor.
Bettors will likely back the Musketeers due to their 4-0 ATS mark as a road underdog, while the Commodores are 0-4 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 points or less.
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