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The Butler Bulldogs are set to face the Xavier Musketeers. Check out our college basketball odds series, which includes our Butler Xavier prediction, odds, and pick.
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The Butler Bulldogs, several years ago, were a program which could be counted on to make regular NCAA Tournament appearances, as college basketball odds experts and Big East Tournament odds historians know well. Brad Stevens led Butler to consecutive national championship games. Chris Holtmann then took the baton and maintained Butler's status as a quality program, taking the Bulldogs to the Sweet 16 in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, where they lost to eventual national champion North Carolina. Holtmann then went to Ohio State, however. Was Butler going to continue to get the right coaches to replace previous stars? That was obviously the big concern. Right now, it's time to wonder if LaVall Jordan is the right man for the job.
No, Jordan shouldn't be fired, especially when you realize that in 2020, when the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the pandemic, Butler was going to make the NCAA Tournament field. Jordan technically has only one NCAA Tournament appearance at Butler, but essentially, he should have two. Nevertheless, this season's 13-18 record means that Jordan and Butler will have a losing season for the third time in the past four years. That's a clear downturn. Yes, this team has been hit hard by injuries, but it remains that the variance between Butler's best version and its worst iteration is large. Butler had moments during the season when it played really well, but the Bulldogs could not sustain that higher level of play. It's something to note when thinking about a Butler Xavier prediction.
Xavier is a bubble team entering this event. The Big East Tournment odds do not favor a deep run by Xavier, but the Musketeers absolutely have to get a win in this game against Butler. Losing to a 13-18 opponent would drop the Musketeers on the seed list and the bracketology big board. Because Xavier has lost seven of its last eight games, it is in the “last four byes” or “last four in” categories on many bracketologists' projection sheets right now. Losing to Butler could easily drop the X out of the field of 68. The team doesn't have to win the Big East Tournament to go Dancing, but it does have to win right here against Butler on Wednesday in New York. Think about that when making a Butler Xavier pick.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Butler-Xavier odds:
Big East Tournament Odds: Butler-Xavier Odds
Butler: +5.5 (-110)
Xavier: -5.5 (-110)
Over: 131.5 (-110)
Under: 131.5 (-110)
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Why Butler Could Cover the Spread
Xavier is in free-fall. The Musketeers' only recent win is over Georgetown, which is winless in the Big East. It has been several weeks since Xavier beat a remotely good team. Butler doesn't even have to win to cover; as long as it keeps the game close, it will cover.
Why Xavier Could Cover the Spread
The Butler Bulldogs aren't a very good team. Xavier will play with desperation in an attempt to save its season. That's all you need to know.
Final Butler-Xavier Prediction & Pick
Butler probably won't win outright, but the Bulldogs' frustrations over the course of the regular season should drive them to play hard in this game and push Xavier to the edge. Musketeers by four.
Final Butler-Xavier Pick: Butler +5.5
