 |  |
| Providence Friars | Butler Bulldogs |
| 17-10 | February 23, 2014, 06:00 | Hinkle Fieldhouse | 12-14 |
College hoops betting interest focuses on the Butler vs Providence battle Sunday at Hinkle Fieldhouse as the Bulldogs look to defend home court and cover the NCAA basketball point spread.
The Friars will look to vanquish their hosts on Sunday, as they are 13-12-1 ATS versus the spread this season, while the Bulldogs are 11-12-1 ATS. Providence is 14-12 against the total, while Butler is 10-14 versus the number.
View Providence Friars vs Butler Bulldogs Odds and Stats.
The Bulldogs were listed as -2.5-point favorites at most sportsbooks tracked by Odds Shark earlier in the day. It opened first at Sportsbook, where the total was expected shortly.
According to new college basketball power rankings here, it's the No. 265-ranked Bulldogs and the No. 56-rated Friars in this matchup.
Providence lost its last outing, an 82-79 result against Villanova on February 18. They covered in that game as a 5-point underdog. Bryce Cotton scored 22 points in a futile effort to lead the Friars to a win (they lost 82-79 to Villanova at Dunkin Donuts Center on Tuesday).
Butler was a 77-52 loser in their most recent outing on the road against St. John's. They failed to cover the 9-point spread as underdogs. Butler was crushed on Tuesday, getting blown out by St. John's and falling by a 77-52 score at Madison Square Garden.
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Butler's No. 184 nationally ranked offense (69.08 points per game) against a Friars defense that sits as the No. 99 at 68.15 PPG. The Bulldogs have been averaging 42.78% from the field, more than the Friars have managed so far this season (41.7% on average).
Next up:
Providence at Seton Hall, Friday, February 28th
Butler at Villanova, Wednesday, February 26th
