Butler vs DePaul 1/4/23 College Basketball Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Depaul Blue Demons and the Butler Bulldogs meet in college basketball action from the Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday night.

The Depaul Blue Demons will look to bounce back from a 74-59 loss to Providence last time out. Javan Johnson has leads the Blue Demons in scoring with 16.4 PPG and 4.9 RPG while Umoja Gibson has 15.5 PPG with a team-high 4.9 APG to lead the Blue Demons in assists and Eral Penn has 10 PPG with a team-high 7.3 RPG to lead the Blue Demons on the glass and to cap off the trio of double-digit scorers for Depaul up to this point in the season. As a team, Depaul is averaging 71.9 PPG on 41% shooting from the field, 35.5% from three and 79% from the foul line this season.

The Butler Bulldogs will look to build on an 80-51 win over Georgetown last time out. Chuck Harris leads Butler in scoring with 13.7 PPG along with 4.1 RPG and 3 APG while Jayden Taylor has 13.4 PPG and 3.7 RPG. Manny Bates has 13.5 PPG with a team-high 6.2 RPG to lead Butler on the glass while Eric Hunter also has 10.2 PPG with 2.7 APG as well. Simas Lukosius also has 10.3 PPG with 4.2 RPG and 3.1 APG to lead the Bulldogs in assists and to cap off the scoring in double figures for Butler up to this point in the year. As a team, Butler is averaging 70.6 points per game on 47,3% shooting from the field, 34.6% from behind the arc and 72.5% from the foul line so far this season.

Depaul is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS loss and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games against a team with a winning home record while the over is 6-1-1 in their last 8 games following a loss. Butler is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 Wednesday games and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS win while the under is 4-0 in their last 4 games overall.

I get the case to be made for either side in this game, but I’m backing Butler at home in this one. The Bulldogs have had Depaul’s number in recent meetings and I think DePaul going on the road here isn’t a recipe for success, especially with the Blue Demons’ track record in the past of getting roughed up in conference play. I think Butler wins this one fairly comfortably at home, so give me the Butler Bulldogs laying the points here.