Butler vs Providence Odds, Pick
| Butler Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -110 | 141.5 -110o / -110u | +210 |
| Providence Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -110 | 141.5 -110o / -110u | -275 |
The Butler Bulldogs and Providence Friars enter Saturday's early afternoon action at 10-2. Both Big East teams have surprised everyone so far.
Butler didn't have any expectations coming into the season, and now it's in the NCAA tournament discussion. Meanwhile, Providence entered the season in bubble-team territory.
Butler Bulldogs
Butler has been flaming hot over the past month, winning seven consecutive games, including victories over Texas Tech and Penn State.
The biggest reason for Butler's resurgence is a vastly improved offense. The Bulldogs were largely mediocre offensively a season ago, and I didn't see much difference when I saw Butler's roster on paper this offseason.
So, what makes the Bulldogs' offense so effective? The players' ability to seek out and take advantage of mismatches.
At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds, Pierre Brooks can get into the lane and also shoot — as can burly-built wing Jahmyl Telfort and point guard Posh Alexander. Those three put pressure on defenses, which opens up looks from outside.
When you have three players built like NFL linebackers handling the ball, defending them one-on-one is fairly intimidating.
Plus, the Bulldogs won't beat themselves with poorly-timed turnovers. They rank 51st in turnover percentage at 15.4%. Butler holds a significant advantage over its opposition in the turnover department, as Providence is loose with the basketball.
Providence Friars
It didn't take long for Kim English to capture the hearts of the Friar Faithful. All it took was a convincing victory over No. 6-ranked Marquette for fans to buy into the English era fully.
The Friars flummoxed Marquette's typically highly-effective offense, as the Golden Eagles shot only 32% from the floor and 4-of-20 from downtown.
Providence's ideal way of winning games comes on the defensive end. The Friars cracked KenPom's top 10 in Defensive Efficiency following the impressive win over Marquette. Not only is Providence an elite defensive team, but Devin Carter looks like a possible national Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
On the other side, Providence's offense is only 126th in Offensive Efficiency. While that rating isn't ideal, I could see Providence's offense improving.
The Bryce Hopkins and Carter duo gives optimism for Providence to generate enough offense in big games. Carter scored 22 points against Marquette, shooting 47% from the field and 39% from downtown.
Providence shoots plenty of perimeter jumpers, attempting triples on 43% of field goals. Ticket Gaines and Jayden Pierre provide the best shooting on the roster aside from Carter, so watch for those two against Butler.
Butler vs. Providence
Betting Pick & Prediction
There's nothing better than home-court advantage in college basketball, and Providence owns an elite home-court environment.
I mean, just look at how out of sync Marquette looked. It's probably the worst game the Golden Eagles will play all year, and it's no coincidence where it happened.
Personnel-wise, Providence matches Butler fairly well. While Butler holds a strength advantage over most teams, Providence isn't one of them. The Friars will match Butler's attack and impose its defensive will in a convincing home win.
From a betting perspective, both teams have been profitable against the spread. Providence comes in at 6-5-1 ATS, while Butler is 7-4 ATS. Butler hitting on the spread at over a 63% clip indicates how undervalued the Bulldogs were in the preseason.
Pick: Providence -5.5 (Play to -7)
The new ESPN Sportsbook is now online and you can use Action’s ESPN BET promo code TANBONUS for a new user welcome.
