The 2025 NCAA Tournament is officially underway with a pair of First Four games tipping off last night. We have two more matchups on Wednesday before the first-round games come tomorrow. No. 11 seeds Xavier and Texas go head-to-head in the First Four tonight with the winner advancing to face No. 6 seed Illinois in the Midwest Region of the bracket. 

Check out our Xavier vs. Texas predictions below for tonight’s First Four March Madness matchup. We’ll take a deep dive into the top stats, players, storylines, and betting odds to know. 

 

 

 

Xavier vs. Texas Predictions For First Four March Madness, 3/19

Wednesday night’s First Four matchup between Xavier and Texas sets up to be a tight, higher-scoring contest. Both squads come in with plenty of talent and the potential to win multiple games in the NCAA Tournament.

Let’s now get into the top Xavier vs. Texas predictions for tonight’s First Four March Madness showdown. 

 

 

 

Xavier Musketeers: Playing Well At The Right Time

In early January, Xavier was just 9-7 overall with a 1-4 mark in Big East play. It looked like a potentially lost season for the Musketeers, who entered the year with enticing preseason hype. Yet, they have since completely turned things around. 

Xavier went 12-3 in their final 15 regular-season games, including seven straight wins heading into the Big East Tournament. The Musketeers then lost by two points against Marquette in the conference bracket. They nearly pulled off the upset in that one, leading by double digits in the second half but coming up just short. 

According to BartTorvik, Xavier is playing like the 18th-best team in the country over the past month. It ranks 21st in offensive efficiency and 26th in defensive efficiency during this stretch as well, per Torvik. 

Sean Miller has his team heading in the right direction at the perfect time. Despite barely making it into the NCAA Tournament, Xavier’s current form is on par with many top-tier teams in the country. 

 

 

 

Texas Longhorns: Can They Flip The Script On A Disappointing Season?

Texas began the season ranked 19th in the AP Preseason Poll and got off to an 11-2 start in non-conference play. Then the Longhorns got exposed by the juggernaut SEC competition. They went 6-12 in conference action and haven’t won more than two games in a row since December. 

The Longhorns have underperformed so much that head coach Rodney Terry is still on the hot seat despite an NCAA Tournament berth. They also likely wouldn’t be in the March Madness field if not for an overtime win vs. Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament. Yet, here they are. 

Freshman Tre Johnson, a projected NBA Draft lottery pick, headlines the Longhorns. He’s a pure bucket-getter and has singlehandedly won Texas a few games. If Johnson isn’t scoring at a high clip, though, the supporting cast tends to be unreliable. 

 

 

 

How To Watch First Four March Madness 2025

Wednesday’s First Four March Madness game between Xavier and Texas tips off at approximately 9:10 pm ET. You can watch it on truTV or stream on Max. 

The Xavier vs. Texas matchup will follow another First Four game. No. 16 seeds Mount St. Mary’s and American tips off at 6:40 pm ET on truTV. Let’s now dive into some Xavier vs. Texas picks, odds, and predictions. 

 

 

 

Xavier vs. Texas Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

Before we get to our Xavier vs. Texas predictions, check out the betting lines on FanDuel Sportsbook. As of this writing, here are the Xavier vs. Texas odds:

  • Xavier Musketeers (-154) vs. Texas Longhorns (+128)
    • Spread: Xavier -2.5 (-118) vs. Texas +2.5 (-104)
    • Game Total: Over 151.5 (-115) vs. Under 151.5 (-105)

 

 

 

Xavier vs. Texas Spread Pick: Musketeers -2.5 (-118 on FanDuel)

As mentioned above, Xavier enters this matchup on a roll. It won seven straight to end the regular season and is 12-4 over the past 16 games overall. Conversely, Texas is just 4-8 over its last 12 contests. Let’s take Xavier -2.5 (-118 at FanDuel) for our Xaver vs. Texas predictions.

Some key stats point towards the Musketeers winning tonight. They do two things offensively at an elite level. Xavier is shooting 38.6% from three-point range (6th in Division I) and 79.4% from the free-throw line (8th). Meanwhile, Texas ranks 143rd nationally in three-point defense and 319th in opposing free-throw attempts rate.

Xavier can build and maintain a lead with its hot three-point shooting and strong free-throw percentage in this matchup. Zach Freemantle and Ryan Conwall anchor a Musketeers offense that’s been trending up for the past two months. They both should have success against a shaky Texas defense.

Plus, Xavier has the coaching advantage with Sean Miller on the sidelines. Miller took the Musketeers to the Sweet 16 two years ago and previously made five Sweet 16 appearances in seven tries with Arizona.

Texas is just 3-9 against the spread (ATS) over its last 12 games. The Longhorns are also 1-3 ATS against non-SEC power-conference teams this season. Meanwhile, Xavier is 6-3 ATS over its last nine contests. It’s also 10-3 ATS as a single-digit underdog this year. Take the Musketeers to cover as 2.5-point favorites (-118 on FanDuel) for our Xavier vs. Texas picks.

 

 

 

Xavier vs. Texas Injury Report & Starting Lineup

Xavier Musketeers Injury Report

  • Trey Green (G) – Out

Xavier Musketeers Expected Starters 

  • Zach Freemantle (F) – 17.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG
  • Ryan Conwell (G) – 16.8 PPG, 2.5 APG
  • Dailyn Swain (F) – 10.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG
  • Dayvion McKnight (G) – 9.6 PPG, 4.3 APG
  • Marcus Foster (G) – 7.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG

Texas Longhorns Injury Report

  • None

Texas Longhorns Expected Starters 

  • Tre Johnson (G) – 19.8 PPG, 2.8 APG
  • Arthur Kaluma (F) – 12.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG
  • Jordan Pope (G) – 11.2 PPG, 1.7 APG
  • Tramon Mark (G) – 10.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG
  • Kadin Shedrick (F) – 8.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG

 

 

 

How To Bet On Xavier vs. Texas FanDuel Sportsbook & Claim Your $200 Bonus

Check out this awesome promotion from FanDuel Sportsbook after reading our Xavier vs. Texas predictions. Just click this link to get started. You don’t even need a FanDuel promo code to get in on the action. 

To qualify, all you need to do is make your first bet of at least $5 after depositing a minimum of $5. If your bet wins, you’ll score $200 in bonus bets! You can take advantage of this offer no matter what sporting event you choose to bet on.

By signing up through this link and grabbing the amazing FanDuel Sportsbook promo, you’ll unlock a variety of betting options. That includes our Xavier vs. Texas predictions for today’s First Four March Madness matchup.