The Butler Bulldogs (8-2, 1-0 Big East) and No. 5 UConn Huskies (10-1, 0-0) meet Tuesday in Hartford, Connecticut. The Big East battle at PeoplesBank Arena will tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET (Peacock). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA basketball odds around the Butler at UConn odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.
Butler heads to Hartford after an overtime triumph in its last game. The -4 Bulldogs needed an extra session and a lot of points to defeat the Providence Friars at home Saturday. BU got to the free-throw line 38 times (making 27), and the Bulldogs prevailed 113-110 (164.5). Over its last 6 games, Butler has gotten to the charity stripe 27.2 times per game.
UConn logged its most recent game Friday, with the -11.5 Huskies defeating Texas 71-63 (Under 145.5). Connecticut shot 54.7% from the field in earning its sixth consecutive victory.
BU and UC scuffled in their own overtime game when they last met Jan. 21. The Huskies won that game (in Hartford) 80-78 and have won all 11 matchups in the series’ history.
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Butler at UConn odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Butler +850 (bet $100 to win $850) | UConn -1600 (bet $1,600 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Butler +15.5 (-118) | UConn -15.5 (-102)
- Over/Under (O/U): 147.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Butler at UConn picks and predictions
Prediction
UConn 81, Butler 65
No interest; PASS.
Butler is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 Big East games and 2-14 ATS in its last 16 December contests.
The Bulldogs’ defense has slipped of late, and BU has dropped 3 in a row ATS. Connecticut has played the more challenging slate so far, and that schedule has been tilted toward better defenses. So, look for the Huskies to have their way in running their offense.
Getting the ball inside is a strength of the Butler offense, but keeping the ball away from the blocks is a strength of the UConn defense. And a due-for-regression Bulldog 3-point game (38.9%, 24th NCAA-I) runs headlong into a UConn defense holding foes to a 27.1% mark from the perimeter (15th).
Not only in that last meeting last January but in the last 3 BU-UC get-togethers, the Bulldogs have played the Huskies tough. Expect Butler to have UConn’s full attention here, and the HUSKIES -15.5 (-102) are a solid leverage play.
The Under has prevailed in 13 of UConn’s last 18 games and in each of the Huskies’ last 5 Big East games.
This is a tortoise (UConn)-and-hare (Butler) matchup in the tempo category. In games against solid-talent, slower squads Virginia (Nov. 23) and Boise State (Dec. 6), the Bulldogs were slower into games filed as Unders.
BACK THE UNDER 147.5 (-115).
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