The Butler Bulldogs (8-4, 0-1 Big East) and Creighton Bluejays (6-6, 0-1) tangle in a pre-holiday Big East game Thursday in Omaha. Opening tip at the CHI Health Center will be at 8 p.m. ET (FSI). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Butler vs. Creighton odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Butler was a 7.5-point underdog but lost by 22 in its Big East opener, a 68-46 setback vs. UConn Saturday. Two systemic problems reared their ugly heads in the loss. The rebound-deficient Bulldogs logged only 3 offensive rebounds (they have only 8 across their last 3 games and average just 5.7 per contest), and they got to the free-throw line just 13 times.
The Bluejays came up short in their conference opener as the +3.5 Creighton squad lost by 11 at Marquette 69-58, the team’s 6th consecutive loss and 4th straight against the spread (ATS). The Bluejays have had the same rebounding and free-throw frequency issues as the Bulldogs: CU had 3 OR and 5 FT attempts at Marquette.
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Butler at Creighton odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:46 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Butler +280 (bet $100 to win $280) | Creighton -380 (bet $380 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Butler +8.5 (-115) | Creighton -8.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 141.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Butler at Creighton picks and predictions
Prediction
Creighton 75, Butler 65
Moneyline
A talented team on a skid, the Bluejays are in buy-low territory. For large-purse bettors, there is some slim value in the area of Creighton -330. But a move drifting that low does not seem likely: PASS.
Against the spread
The home team is 14-2 ATS in the last 16 BU-CU meetings.
The perimeter game will loom large for Creighton. Defending 3s has been a Bulldogs strength (29.9%, 51st NCAA-I), but that strength is likely due some regression. Expect the home team to get a better inside-outside mix of looks in this match-up.
Butler owns a 59.8% effective field-goal percentage at home. That figure drops off to 48.4% away from Hinkel Fieldhouse.
The Bluejays laid an egg in their last home game, falling to Nebraska 63-53 on Dec. 4. Expect a bounce-back and the losing skid being put in the rearview mirror. And by a margin approaching double digits.
BET CREIGHTON 8.5 (-115).
Over/Under
No lean either way on what looks like a solid number. And the 2 sides here have been alternating in plusses and minuses to their game that pull them to 1 extreme or the other. PASS.
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