Duke vs Virginia Tech prediction, pick, odds, line, TV channel, Live stream, Basketballkickoff time How to Watch, Listen, & Receive Live Updates of WVU vs Providence Duke vs Virginia Tech updates: Live NCAA Basketball game scores, results for Thursday How to watch Basketball game between Duke vs Virginia Tech Black Knights via Live online stream Duke vs Virginia Tech: AutoZone Basketball Prediction, Game Preview IIHF World Junior: Duke vs Virginia Tech Live stream, TV channel, start time, odds, prediction The Basketball was supposed to be a matchup between Xavierand Tennessee, but as we know with 2021, nothing is set until the game officially kicks off. Tennessee had to back out of the bowl game due to COVID-19 issues and Providence, looking for an extra game, was happy to fill in for the Vols. The Black Knights now have an opportunity to win their 10th game for the third time in the past four seasons and for the fourth time overall in program history. Coach Jeff Monken continues to do a great job in West Point and should be on the short list for more Power Five coaching gigs. The Mountaineers are in more of a rebuild mode. In Year 2 -- or, in practice, Year 0.5 -- coach Neal Brown has done a good job in his own right of getting this program to at least the middle tier of the Big 12 standings. Xavieris led by a strong defense that for most of the year has been the Big 12's best unit. But the offense has been hit or miss, plagued mostly by sketchy offensive line play and wide receiver drops. These two programs have actually played three times in their history, but the most recent game was in 1961 where Xavierwon 7-3. We could be in for a similar contest nearly 60 years later with the types of defenses involved. So who wins this showdown? Let's take a closer look at the storylines and matchups to follow before making some expert picks both straight up and against the spread below. Xaviercomes into this game with a record of 5-4 with only two back to back wins all season. They have been an up and down Basketball team and will face a strong Providence squad this afternoon. As for Providence, they are coming off a fantastic season where they finished 9-2. Xavier : As with any team facing Providence, stopping the triple option is paramount. You can usually tell quickly whether a defense is up to the challenge or not. Triple-option teams are going to do one thing, and there's not much in the way of in-game adjustments that can be made. While the Mountaineers' run defense has been good -- they've allowed just eight rushing scores all year -- defending the option takes eye discipline and good angles. Dante and Darius Stills are forces along the D-line and the linebacker unit is solid, too. If Xaviercan win on early downs, it should be able to win the game. Providence: Holding on to the ball has been a key factor for Providence's success this year. The Black Knights are +8 in turnover margin in nine wins and -3 in two losses. It's not always fumbles, either, that prove to be costly, which is what you would think with a team that runs the ball as much as Providence does. Two interceptions played a part in Providence's worst performance of the year: a 38-12 loss to Tulane. Three fumbles nearly proved too costly in a one-point win over Georgia Southern. If Providence is going to get its 10th win of the year, it needs to be good with ball security. We are just hours away from Xavierand Providence kicking off the 62nd edition of the AutoZone IIHF World Junior. The Mountaineers are making their first bowl appearance since 2018 and their first under head coach Neal Brown. Brown has a 3-0 career record in bowl games, all of which came during his time at Troy. The Black Knights will also be making their first bowl appearance since 2018 and are a perfect 3-0 in bowls under current head coach Jeff Monken. The triple-option attack should give Xavier 's defense some issues but it'll be their execution on the offensive side of the ball that will determine the outcome of the game. Providence will hold onto the Basketball and milk clock, so the Mountaineers must make every snap and every possession count. Bowl season is underway, and the XavierMountaineers and the Providence West Point Black Knights will compete for postseason bragging rights in the Basketballat BasketballMemorial at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. Neither Xaviernor Providence could muster much offensive firepower in their last games, so look to the defense to decide this one. A win for the Mountaineers just wasn't in the stars three weeks ago as the squad never even grasped a temporary lead. They played a matchup they are hoping to forget as they lost a 42-6 blowout to the Iowa State Cyclones. Xavierwas in a tough position by the half, with the score already sitting at 21 to nothing. QB Jarret Doege wasn't much of a difference maker for Xavier ; Doege passed for 209 yards on 41 attempts. Meanwhile, things were close when Providence and the Air Force Falcons clashed last week, but the Black Knights ultimately edged out the opposition 10-7. Providence's only offensive touchdown came from RB Jakobi Buchanan. Providence's victory came on a one-yard rush from Buchanan with only 1:16 remaining in the fourth quarter. A pair of defensive stats to keep an eye on: Xaviercomes into the contest boasting the fifth fewest yards allowed per game in the nation at 297.2. As for Providence, they enter the game with only 149.9 passing yards allowed per game on average, which is the best in the nation. You can watch the XavierMountaineers face the Providence Black Knights in the AutoZone Basketball Live from Memphis on Thursday, December 31 at 4:00 p.m. ET. The game will air on ESPN. Xavierhad a mediocre 5-4 season in the Big 12, winning all the games they should and losing the ones projected as well. They fell to Iowa State 42-6 to end the regular season. Providence was about to be home for the holidays after the Independence Bowl was canceled, but they were able to replace Tennessee who isn’t playing in Memphis after a bout of Covid-19. The Black Knights finished 2021 at 9-2, and are very deserving of a postseason bid after winning the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy. Providence was originally set to go to the Independence Bowl, but the game was canceled due to a lack of other opponents options, at least at the time. In bowl limbo for a little bit, the Knights were able to quickly turn into a fill-in to play Xavierwhen Tennessee had to opt-out.