It will be a battle between Big East opponents when the Xavier Musketeers (10-7, 2-2 Big East) welcome the Butler Bulldogs (10-6, 1-2 Big East) to the Cintas Center. The game starts at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 13, 2019, and will air on CBS Sports Network.
Butler Bulldogs vs. Xavier Musketeers Betting Prediction
In the Bulldogs’ last matchup, they were topped by the Seton Hall Pirates, 76-75. Getting to the charity stripe was one of Seton Hall’s biggest strengths. They had 37 free throw attempts, while Butler had 22. Joey Brunk played well for Butler, recording 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The Musketeers defeated the Georgetown Hoyas in their last game, 81-75. The Musketeers had a fantastically low turnover percentage of 5.2 (better than their season average of 17.7) and had a free throw rate of 0.367 (above their season average of 0.247). Zach Hankins led Xavier in scoring with 23 points on 10-for-14 shooting from the field.
Half-court execution will be at a premium when a pair of the country’s slowest-paced teams square off. Xavier ranks 263rd in possessions per game (68.4) and Butler is 319th (66.5). Moreover, the Bulldogs rank 26th in turnover percentage (15.9 percent), while the Musketeers rank 278th in opponents’ turnover percentage (17.7 percent).
After the Musketeers won both contests against the Bulldogs last season, this will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. In the last contest, Xavier won 98-93. The Musketeers knocked down 24 of their 28 free throws (85.7 percent) and had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (16.0 vs. 10.3).
Butler Bulldogs vs. Xavier Musketeers ATS Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Xavier, ATS Winner – Xavier, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Notes:
Butler ranks 35th in assists allowed per game (10.8) while Xavier ranks 192nd (14.9).
The Bulldogs rank 90th in three pointers attempted per game (24.4) while the Musketeers rank 208th in three pointers allowed per game (25.3).
Xavier ranks 127th in rebounds per game (36.3) while Butler ranks 227th (32.7).
The Bulldogs rank 46th in steals allowed per game (5.4) while the Musketeers rank 92nd (6.2).
Bettings Trends:
The Bulldogs have been outscored by an average of 2.2 points in their last five games. On the season, Butler has defeated opponents by an average of 6.8 points.
During their last five games, the Musketeers have scored an average of 69.2 points per game (4.8 below their season average) and allowed an average of 69.0 points per game (1.9 below their season average).
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