The Butler Bulldogs take on the Villanova Wildcats in Villanova, PA. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Villanova is favored by 10 points on the spread with a moneyline of -600. The total is set at 147 points.
Here’s my Butler vs. Villanova prediction and college basketball picks for February 25, 2026.
Butler vs Villanova Prediction
My Pick: Villanova -9.5 (Play to -11.5)
My Butler vs Villanova best bet is on the Wildcats to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Butler vs. Villanova Odds, Spread
| Butler Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10 -110 | 147 -110 / -110 | +450 |
| Villanova Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10 -110 | 147 -110 / -110 | -600 |
- Butler vs Villanova spread: Villanova -10
- Butler vs Villanova over/under: 147 points
- Butler vs Villanova moneyline: Butler +450, Villanova -600
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Butler vs Villanova College Basketball Betting Preview
Butler Basketball
Butler has seen a once-promising season get worse at every turn. The Bulldogs started the season 5-1, but fresh off a win over Virginia, they learned that Jalen Jackson had suffered what would eventually be deemed a season-ending injury. The Bulldogs improved to 7-1, but they struggled once conference play started.
Butler started conference play with a 1-5 record, and just when it looked like the Bulldogs had stabilized the season by winning their next three games to get to 13-7 overall and 4-5 in the Big East, they lost all momentum.
Butler lost by 22 to St. John's and then by 13 to Georgetown at home, starting what would eventually become a six-game losing streak.
The Bulldogs have won each of their last two games — avenging losses from earlier in the season to both Georgetown and Xavier — but both of those games were still extremely close against two teams near Butler's level.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs aren't on the same level as Villanova. The Wildcats already beat Butler 85-67 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, and Villanova has too much on the line to lose focus in this game.
This will be an uphill battle for the Bulldogs.
Villanova Basketball
Villanova has asserted itself as the clear third-best team in the Big East this season. While UConn and St. John's have pulled away from the rest of the conference, the Wildcats have established themselves as the gatekeeper to the upper echelon of the Big East.
Villanova is 21-6 with a 12-4 conference record, and three of its four conference losses came against UConn and St. John's.
Creighton is the only team below Villanova in the conference standings to beat the Wildcats at any point this season, and the Bluejays also beat UConn recently, showing their ability to compete with the top teams in the conference on a good night.
However, outside of Creighton, Villanova has rarely struggled in conference, tallying five of its 12 conference victories by double-digit margins.
The Wildcats match up very well with Butler, as the Bulldogs play at an average pace while Villanova plays very slowly.
The Wildcats dominated Butler from inside the 3-point line in their first meeting this season, shooting 25-for-37 (67.6%) on 2s, despite the Bulldogs flexing their muscle with 13 offensive rebounds.
Butler didn't shoot well from 3 in the first game, but Villanova can still correct the defensive rebounding issues and probably shoot a bit better at home to improve its performance in this game.
Butler vs. Villanova Betting Analysis
Villanova is a very consistent team from game-to-game, and most of the Wildcats' rematches in Big East play have been pretty similar to the initial matchups.
When Butler and Villanova matched up for the first time this season, the Bulldogs were still a top-50 team in KenPom and were a lot healthier. Villanova won by 18 on the road regardless.
The Wildcats have even more advantages in this matchup, and with much more to play for down the stretch, and the opportunity to rebound from a loss at home over the weekend, I think they easily cover again.
My Pick: Villanova -9.5 (Play to -11.5)
