The Butler Bulldogs will try their luck again against the No. 8 Villanova Wildcats, who are on pace to finish the regular season No. 1 in the Big East. Which team will win this intriguing battle in the Big East? Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Villanova Wildcats vs Butler Bulldogs NCAA College Basketball Game on February 28 2021
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
When: Sunday, February 28, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Line: Villanova Wildcats (odds) vs. Butler Bulldogs (odds) – view all 2021 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Villanova Wildcats (odds)
Record: 15-3 Overall / 10-2 Conference
Behind its best-shooting night in three games, Villanova mustered an 81-58 home win over the St. John’s Red Storm last Tuesday for the Wildcats’ second win in a row. Villanova entered that game on the heels of a 68-60 home win over the UConn Huskies on Feb. 20, wherein the Wildcats shot only 41.5 percent against Dan Hurley’s defense-centered squad. But against St. John’s, Villanova shot 48.3 percent and hit 11 of 26 attempts from behind the arc. Villanova owns one of the most efficient offenses in the nation, as the Wildcats are fifth on KenPom with 121.2 points per 100 possessions, which bodes well for the team, heading into the game against Butler that is allowing 1.105 points per possession — just 259th in the nation. Villanova beat the Bulldogs at home last December, 85-66 as 12.5 point faves, with the Wildcats scoring 1.29 points per possession.
Villanova is 3-1 against the spread in its last four games overall.
Betting on the Butler Bulldogs (odds)
Record: 8-13 Overall / 7-11 Conference
Butler stopped a three-game losing skid when they upset the Seton Hall Pirates in a 70-60 home win last Wednesday. Butler smothered the Pirates defensively, as Seton Hall shot just 37.9 percent from the field and committed 12 turnovers. Jair Bolden scored 16 points to lead Butler, while Chuck Harris had 14 points. Harris leads the Bulldogs this season with just11.6 points per game, but the Bulldogs feature five other players averaging at least 9.4 points per contest. Butler is second in the Big East in scoring defense with opponents making just 66.7 points per game and a major reason for that is the Bulldogs’ slow pace. Butler is averaging just 64.7 possessions per 40 minutes, which is 327th in the nation. In the first game against Villanova this season, Butler got 18 points from Jair Bolden and 14 from Aaron Thompson. The Bulldogs had 15 turnovers in that game so they need to do better in that area.
The under is 2-0 in Butler’s last two games.
Writer’s Prediction
Villanova wins, 72-61.
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