The Butler Bulldogs (18-8) travel to Villanova to take on the No. 1-ranked Wildcats (23-3) in a game that has the potential to be high-scoring. Action starts at 2:30 pm ET on Saturday, Feb. 20 and will air on FOX.
The Wildcats come into this game on a high note after beating Temple 83-67 on Wednesday. Jalen Brunson was the game’s high scorer with 25 points on 9-for-11 shooting. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are coming off an 88-75 win against Creighton on Tuesday. Roosevelt Jones stood out for Butler, posting 12 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Kelan Martin has been hot over the last five games for the Bulldogs, averaging 22.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 1.0 block, and 2.0 three-pointers.
This matchup figures to be a high-scoring affair as Villanova ranks 33rd in the nation in offensive efficiency (113.5), while Butler is 13th (116.8). Also, the Bulldogs’s 13th-ranked offense (offensive efficiency of 116.8) will face off against the fifth-ranked defense of the Wildcats (defensive efficiency of 91.9).
This is the second game of the year between these two teams, with the Wildcats winning the first matchup 60-55. Josh Hart put up a double-double in the victory with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
The Wildcats are looking to build on their records of 23-3 Straight Up (SU) and 14-11 Against The Spread (ATS). The Wildcats are a dangerously accurate shooting team from the line with a .775 free throw percentage, one of the highest marks in Division I. Villanova has the 48th-most assists in Division I, averaging 15.7 per game. The Villanova defense has been struggling to keep points off the board during its most recent matchups. The Wildcats have given up an average of 68.5 points to opponents in their last 10 games, well over their defense’s season average of 61.3 PPG.
As for their opponent, Butler has a SU record of 18-8 and an ATS record of 12-13-1. Butler is one of the top three-point shooting teams in the nation, converting .378 of their shots from three-point range. The Bulldogs are the better of the two teams when it comes to assist-to-turnover ratio, ranking 27th in Division I at 1.42. The Butler defense has allowed an average of 63.1 points per game during the last 10 games, lower than their season average of 69.8.
With the Wildcats’ last win against Butler, their SU record against Butler moves to 5-0 over their most recent meetings. With a 4-1 record, the Wildcats also have the advantage ATS. Villanova had the advantage in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) twice over the last five matchups. Butler has never had the edge in all three categories.
Predictions: SU Winner – Butler, ATS Winner – Butler
Notes
“Villanova is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games “.
“Villanova is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games “.
“The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Villanova’s last 6 games “.
“Villanova is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home”.
“Villanova is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home”.
“The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Villanova’s last 14 games at home”.
“Villanova is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Butler”.
“Villanova is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Butler”.
The Villanova Wildcats have a solid 12-1 SU record against the Big East Conference, while the Butler Bulldogs have split their meetings with conference opponents, 7-7.
The Butler Bulldogs average 80.8 points per game, ranking 23rd in the nation. The Villanova Wildcats rank eighth in points allowed with 61.3.
Villanova has allowed an average of 59.3 points per home game this season. Butler averages 76.1 points per away game, ranking 38th in scoring.
The Villanova Wildcats have a defensive rating of 91.9, fifth-best in the country. The Butler Bulldogs have a top-tier offense with an offensive rating of 116.8 (ranked 13th).
Villanova has an average field goal percentage of 46.2%. Butler is an even 4-4 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Villanova Wildcats rank lower for their field goal percentage (73rd) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (46th), but the Butler Bulldogs have a better FG% ranking (49th) than eFG% ranking (72nd).
Villanova ranks 48th in assists, recording 15.7 per game. Butler ranks 100th with 14.7 assists per game.
Butler ranks 108th in offensive rebounds, while Villanova ranks at 97th in defensive rebounds.
Opponents have had an average turnover percentage of 21.2% when playing Villanova this season. Butler is undefeated (1-0) when its TO% is 21.2% or higher.
