Indiana basketball vs. Xavier: Will Hoosiers shine in Gavitt Tipoff Games?

The Gavitt Tipoff Games started on Monday with the Big Ten and Big East facing off for the eighth season. Indiana basketball faces Xavier on Friday.

Last season, the Hoosiers battled St. John’s in the Gavitt Tipoff Games on November 17 and took down the Red Storm, 76-74, in Assembly Hall. Indiana basketball has not lost a Gavitt Tipoff game since falling to then-ranked No. 22 Seton Hall, 84-68 in 2017-18. The Hoosiers have won three straight in this conference series.

Minnesota hosted DePaul and Penn State hosted Butler in the opening games on Monday night, with DePaul and Penn State coming out on top.  Since this early-season series began in 2015, the Big Ten leads 2-1-3 overall.

This season might look a bit different. My expectation (and prediction) for the 2022 Gavitt Tipoff Games are below. Forgot to throw in that I knew Minnesota would disappoint the Big Ten against a sub-par DePaul team.

With these predictions in mind, the only other Big Ten teams I expect to come out on top in these matchups are Indiana to take down Xavier on the road and Northwestern to shock some college basketball fans with a win on the road against Georgetown.

If the Hoosiers can stand out as one of the few Big Ten teams to win in this Power 6 series, it would truly show the prowess of what Indiana basketball can do this season, especially in a conference that will likely be so competitive this season, yet again.