Butler Bulldogs vs Houston Cougars NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/7/24
Planning on watching today’s Bulldogs and Cougars game? Catch the action at Fertitta Center in Houston, TX, as the Cougars hosts this showdown at 5:30 ET on ESPN2. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 134.5 points, and Houston is favored by -16.5 at home against Butler.
BUTLER BULLDOGS VS HOUSTON COUGARS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Butler Bulldogs +16.5
This game will be played at Fertitta Center at 5:30 ET on Saturday, December 7th.
WHY BET THE BUTLER BULLDOGS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Cougars.
- Even though we have Houston winning straight-up, we like Butler at +16.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 134.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Can the Bulldogs Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?
Butler Bulldogs Recent Game/Games
Butler improved to 7-1 on the season with a 73-58 win over Eastern Illinois on Tuesday. The Bulldogs were heavy favorites at home, entering the game as 21-point favorites.
Butler led 36-27 at halftime and added 37 points in the 2nd half while allowing 31. Despite the win, they didn’t cover the spread, and the total points of 131 fell short of the 141 O/U line.
Butler put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 52.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 59.1%. They were efficient inside, hitting 66.7% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 35% from beyond the arc, making 7 threes.
Kooper Jacobi hit 5 threes, shooting 71.4% from deep and finishing with 22 points. Jahmyl Telfort and Patrick McCaffery each added 20 points, with McCaffery also hitting 5 threes at 62.5% efficiency. Butler made 20 of 25 free throws, and Nakyel Shelton contributed 12 points and 5 assists.
Butler’s defense gave up 58 points, even while allowing the opponent to shoot 52% from the field. Inside the arc, they conceded 16 of 24 shots for a 66% two-point shooting percentage.
From three-point range, Butler’s opponent hit 7 of 20 attempts, shooting 35%. They also sent the opponent to the free-throw line 25 times, where they converted 20 free throws at an 80% rate. Butler allowed 7 offensive rebounds.
Are Houston Ready for a Home Win?
Houston Cougars Recent Game/Games
Houston’s season record dropped to 4-3 after a 73-70 home loss to San Diego State on Saturday, November 30th. The Cougars entered the game as -13.5 favorites but failed to cover the spread.
Houston led 30-25 at halftime but allowed 40 points in the 2nd half while scoring 35. The total points for the game were 143, surpassing the O/U line of 127.
Houston’s offense struggled from the field in their last game, shooting just 37.1% overall and 31.6% from two-point range. However, they found success from beyond the arc, hitting 45.8% of their threes, with Emanuel Sharp knocking down 4 of 8 and L.J. Cryer hitting 5 threes on 13 attempts.
Jared Coleman-Jones was efficient, shooting 66.7% from the field and 3 of 4 from three-point range. Houston also grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and hit 76.5% of their free throws, with Sharp leading the team with 23 points.
Houston’s defense gave up 73 points, but they held the opposing team to just 37% shooting overall, with 23 made field goals on 62 attempts. Inside the arc, they limited their opponents to 31% shooting, as the other team went 12/38 on two-point attempts.
From three-point range, Houston’s defense allowed 11 made threes on 24 attempts, a 45% shooting clip. The opposing team also shot 76% from the free-throw line, hitting 13 of 17 attempts. Houston gave up 17 offensive rebounds in the game.