Seton Hall vs. Creighton prediction and odds for Tuesday, January 3 (Pirates perimeter defense will thrive)

Seton Hall has stumbled out of the gates in the Big East, going 1-3 through its first four conference games.

Creighton, which was once nationally ranked this season, is 2-1 in the Big East but just 8-6 overall. The Bluejays will enter the game with some momentum, coming off a 22-point win against St. John’s on New Years Eve.

So which team will thrive in their first game of 2023?

Let’s dive into the odds for the Big East showdown, and then I’ll give you my best bet.

Seton Hall vs. Creighton odds, spread, and total

Seton Hall vs. Creighton prediction and pick

This spread is too large in my opinion. The Pirates have a solid and underrated defense. Heading into tonight’s game, they rank 57th in defensive efficiency and 34th in opponent effective field goal percentage.

That’s head and shoulders above Creighton in both of those categories.

What has plagued Seton Hall for the majority of the season has been turnovers. The Pirates rank 327th in the country in turnovers per possession, turning the ball over 21.3% of the time.

With that being said, that may not cost them tonight. Creighton has struggled to force turnovers, ranking 325th in opponent turnovers per possession.

If Creighton can’t force the Pirates to cough up the ball, Seton Hall is going to find a lot more success than it has in previous games this season.

Finally, the Pirates will be able to lean on their perimeter defense in keeping Creighton’s offense in check. Creighton ranks inside the top 60 in the country in three-point field goal rate, but the Pirates’ biggest strength is their perimeter defense, keeping teams to shooting only 27.7% from beyond the arc, the 17th best rate in college basketball.

I’ll back Seton Hall to cover this spread.

You can track Iain’s bets on Betstamp here.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.