A high-scoring game should be expected from the Butler Bulldogs (17-8) and Creighton Bluejays (17-9) when two of the nation’s top scoring offenses battle it out at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The game begins at 7:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Feb. 16 and will air on FS1.
The Bulldogs are hoping to rebound after their 74-57 loss to Xavier on Saturday. Despite the loss, Kelan Martin earned his seventh double-double this season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Bluejays, meanwhile, are coming off a 65-62 win against Marquette on Saturday. Maurice Watson Jr. claimed his third double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 assists.
Over the last five games, Martin has taken his game to another level for the Bulldogs, averaging 23.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 1.2 blocks, and 1.8 three-pointers.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Bluejays winning the first matchup 72-64. In the loss, Martin had a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bulldogs look to build on their records of 17-8 Straight Up (SU) and 11-13-1 Against The Spread (ATS). In their last 10 games, they are 7-3 ATS. The Bulldogs come into the game with the 26th-ranked scoring offense in the nation, averaging 80.5 points per game. The Bulldogs are an exceptional shooting team from the line with a .741 free throw percentage, one of the highest marks in Division I. The Bulldogs, sporting the 33rd-best assist-to-turnover ratio in Division I (1.38), have proven themselves to be an extremely efficient offensive team.
On the other side, the Bluejays have 17-9 SU and 16-9 ATS records. They sport the 29th-ranked scoring offense in the country, averaging 79.9 points per game. The Bluejays are an unselfish team with an average of 15.7 assists per game, ranking 49th in Division I. Don’t expect Creighton to give away the ball much on offense, where its 11.2 turnovers per game ranks 34th in the country.
In their previous meeting this season, Creighton beat Butler, moving its SU record against Butler to 3-2 in their most recent head-to-head meetings. Furthermore, Creighton leads the matchup ATS with a record of 4-1. Neither Butler nor Creighton has led in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers) over their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – Butler, ATS Winner – Butler
Notes
Butler averages 80.5 points per game (ranked 26th). Creighton, on the other hand, allows 72.1 points per game (ranked 154th).
Butler scores 84.0 points per home game (ranked 27th). Creighton ranks a poor 148th in points allowed on the road, allowing 75.2 points.
In its last game, Creighton won by a margin of three points. Butler is 1-1 in games decided by a margin of three points or less. Creighton has a 1-4 record in close games.
Ranked 53rd, the Creighton Bluejays have an offensive rating of 112.3. The Butler Bulldogs rank 109th with a defensive rating of just 100.3.
Creighton has an average field goal percentage of 46.9%. Butler is an even 4-4 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Butler Bulldogs rank higher based on their field goal percentage (42nd) than their effective field goal percentage (75th). The Creighton Bluejays rank higher based on their effective field goal percentage (38th) than their field goal percentage (50th).
Creighton ranks 49th in assists, recording 15.7 per game. Butler performs worse at 106th with 14.4 assists per game.
Butler ranks 103rd in offensive rebounds, while Creighton ranks 58th in defensive rebounds.
On average, Butler forces a turnover rate of 19.3%. When Creighton turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a winning 2-1 record.
