#11 Xavier vs #11 Texas NCAAB Pick: A Bubble Battle in the First Four (Mar 19)

• Xavier came up short against Marquette in the Big East quarterfinals, losing 89-87.
• Texas had their hot streak halted by Tennessee, losing 83-72 in the SEC quarterfinals.
• These two teams last faced off in the Sweet 16 in 2023, in a game that Texas won 83-71.

The final teams to make the NCAA Tournament clash in this First Four matchup. The Xavier Musketeers enter as a slight favorite over the surging Texas Longhorns. Our Xavier vs Texas pick sees a very close game that comes down to the wire, with both defenses playing a major role.

Xavier Needs Signature Win to Advance

Xavier landed as one of the last four teams in the tournament field. While a First Four game isn’t ideal, it’s certainly a positive result for a team that had an equal chance of missing the tournament. The Musketeers will need to prove they are more than their 1-8 Quad 1 record.

Leading the way for Xavier is 5th-year senior Zach Freemantle. At 24.5 years old, Freemantle is one of the oldest and most experienced players in the tourney. He’ll be tasked with providing consistency to an offense that ranks below the top-50. They face a tough task against Texas.

Texas Aims to Build on its Momentum

Texas was a somewhat-surprise entry in the NCAA Tournament. They became the 2nd 15-loss team to receive an at-large seed, lifted up by a 7-10 record in Quad 1 games. The Longhorns picked a few stellar wins in SEC play, but didn’t face that tough of a non-conference schedule.

They’ll be aiming to build on the momentum of a late run that earned them one of the last spots in the tourney field. Texas only went 6-12 in SEC play, but competed in a conference that seeded 14 of 16 teams. Freshman Tre Johnson will aim to prove Texas has a leg up on Xavier.

Xavier Musketeers vs Texas Longhorns Pick

When comparing the records against Quad 1, (Xavier 1-8, Texas 7-10), it’s clear to pick out a favorite in this matchup. That being said, the odds actually favor Xavier for a reason. The Musketeers may not have as many top wins but they also have far fewer losses. Against a shared opponent, UConn, Xavier also performed far better. The Musketeers should win it.