The Villanova Wildcats are the top-ranked team in the country, and to stay there, they need some revenge. Villanova will welcome the Butler Bulldogs to their home floor this week in a key Big East Conference matchup.
The first time these two teams met this season on December 30th, the Bulldogs handed Villanova its only loss of the season, winning 101 -93 at home. This rematch has no doubt been circled on the top-ranked Wildcats’ calendars ever since.
Villanova is at home and the better team, so it will be a substantial favorite to take care of business. Another win over the Wildcats would be a huge boost for Butler, but it won’t be easy.
At 12 p.m. ET, tune into ESPN 2 for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Saturday, February 10, 2018, at the The Pavillion.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Butler is 17-8 straight up and 13-11 against the spread. The Bulldogs have covered in only two of their seven attempts on the road this season. They are 3-5 against the spread as the underdog on the year.
Villanova is 22-1 straight up and 15-7-1 against the spread. The Wildcats have played in nine games at home this season and covered in six of them. They have been favored in every single contest on the year and that won’t change this time around.
Last Meeting
Butler captured the win earlier this year behind big performances from senior forward Kelan Martin, who had 24 points, and junior guard Paul Jorgensen, who finished with 23 points. The Bulldogs shot 60 percent from the field and finished 15-of-22 from the three-point line.
Villanova, despite playing well offensively, just couldn’t stop the threat downtown. The Wildcats have won nine straight since that loss, keeping most of their opponents to 80 points or less, and will be looking for a much sharper performance defensively this time around against Butler.
It’s hard to imagine the Bulldogs shooting that well from three-point range again, but if they can be efficient from downtown it bodes well for their chances to keep this one competitive. Villanova will assuredly be watching tape closely to figure out Butler’s tendencies.
Player To Watch
Jalen Brunson — The Wildcats’ high-scoring offense runs through Brunson. The junior point guard is the driving force behind a Villanova team that ranks third in the country for points per game with 88.4.
Brunson is averaging 19.4 points and five assists per game this season and is shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 48.3 percent from behind the arc. He had 21 points against Seton Hall on Sunday and finished with 31 against Marquette last week.
He also had 31 points and five assists in Villanova's first matchup against Butler. The junior has scored 20 points or more in eight games this season and has finished with three games of 30 or more points, is also among the finalists for the National Player of the Year award for college basketball.
Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks
While Butler is a solid team, it is not going to pull off a season sweep of Villanova. The Wildcats may be the best team in college hoops and are playing at home.
Look for this to be an entertaining game with a fast pace, but in the end the Bulldogs are not going to be able to keep up. Take Villanova to win, but check the spread because Butler may keep it close enough to cover.
The “over” should be a consideration depending on where the scoring total lies.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: Villanova 87, Butler 80
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