Butler (7-1) vs. Houston (4-2)
December 7, 2024 5:30 pm EDT
The Line: Houston -15; Over/Under: -
(Get latest betting odds)
The Butler Bulldogs and the Houston Cougars meet Saturday in college basketball action from Hofheinz Pavilion. Here’s a Houston vs Butler prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Houston vs Butler pick.
Butler Bulldogs Betting Preview
The Bulldogs beat Missouri State in their opener this year, then fell to Austin Peay in game two. Since then it’s been wins over Western Michigan, SMU, Merrimack, Northwestern, Mississippi State, and Eastern Illinois, though.
Back on Tuesday versus Eastern Illinois, the Bulldogs led by nine going into the second half, then hit a 37-31 run from there for a 73-58 win. Both Jahmyl Telfort and Patrick McCaffery notched 20 points each, combining for 13 rebounds.
Houston Cougars Betting Preview
Over on the Cougars’ side, they went 3-1 over their first four with a loss to Auburn among wins over Jackson State, Louisiana, and Hofstra. It’s been a 1-2 run since then for Houston featuring losses to Alabama and San Diego State.
Matched up against the Aztecs last Saturday, the Cougars gave away a five-point halftime lead and eventually lost 73-70 in overtime. Emanuel Sharp led the team on 23 points in the defeat, while LJ Cryer added 21 points with two assists.
Why the Houston Cougars will win
- Houston has won each of its last 25 games at Fertitta Center.
- Butler has lost each of its last seven day games against AP-ranked opponents.
- Houston has won the first half in each of its last 27 games against non-conference opponents at Fertitta Center.
Why the Butler Bulldogs will win
- Butler has won each of its last six games.
- Butler has won the first half in each of its last six games against non-conference opponents.
Houston vs Butler Prediction
I’ll stay with Houston here. The Cougars could use a good showing, though. In their OT loss to San Diego State, Houston shot just 37.1 percent from the field with 12 turnovers but did have a 40-38 edge on the boards. It was the Cougars’ second overtime loss in the last three games, but the good news is that Houston is matching up pretty well against comparable teams this year overall.
As for Butler, they didn’t have any issues with Eastern Illinois (aside from the 17 turnovers) in their latest win, shooting 52.3 percent from the field. The Bulldogs have scored 71 or more points in each of their seven wins so far, with 66 points in the lone defeat. This one should feature a pretty high total if both teams play to their capabilities, but I like Houston slightly better cover-wise.
