A six-game home winning streak hangs in the balance for the Butler Bulldogs (9-5, 0-1 Big East) when they meet the Creighton Bluejays (10-4, 1-0 Big East) at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Action begins at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 5, 2019.
Creighton Bluejays at Butler Bulldogs Betting Odds
Both teams were victorious in their last game. The Bulldogs had no trouble getting past the Miami (OH) RedHawks 90-68, while the Bluejays were victorious over the Western Illinois Leathernecks 78-67.
Creighton played a nearly perfect game. They had an effective field goal percentage of 0.548 and a free throw rate of 0.143. Western Illinois was 0.428 and 0.116, respectively, for those same stats. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, had a much better free throw rate (0.207 vs. 0.095) and had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (46.2 vs. 23.5). Butler received a boost from Paul Jorgensen, who contributed 17 points and seven rebounds. Meanwhile, Martin Krampelj had a good game for Creighton, finishing with 13 points and seven rebounds.
This series was highly competitive last year. Each won one of the two games played against each other last season. In the most recent contest, the Bulldogs won 93-70. The Bulldogs’ 11.1 turnover percentage was their largest advantage over the Bluejays, who had a mark of 18.1. This is the first time these teams will meet this year.
The Bluejays’ Ty-Shon Alexander has been playing at a high level over his last five games, averaging 0 points per game. Meanwhile, Jorgensen has averaged 0 points during that same time frame for the Bulldogs.
The high-powered offense of Butler will face off against the mid-tier defense of Creighton. The Bulldogs rank 89th in offensive efficiency, while the Bluejays are 224th in defensive efficiency. The Bulldogs figure to have the edge on that end of the court.
Creighton Bluejays vs. Butler Bulldogs Odds Pick
Free Pick: SU Winner – Creighton, ATS Winner – Creighton, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- Creighton ranks 27th in assists per game (16.5) while Butler ranks 104th (14.2).
- The Bluejays rank 170th in rebounds per game (35.1) while the Bulldogs rank 233rd (32.6).
- Creighton ranks 38th in three pointers attempted per game (26.9) while Butler ranks 86th (24.3).
Bettings Trends:
- During their last five games, the Bluejays have scored an average of 80.0 points per game (4.7 below their season average) and allowed an average of 71.0 points per game (2.9 below their season average).
- The Bulldogs’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 15.2, up from 6.7 for the season.
