Victory never really seemed in doubt for Middle Tennessee in its first-round matchup against Minnesota. The Blue Raiders’ 81-72 win proved to the nation that Middle Tennessee likes to take on the best teams, as the program has gone 9-0 SU and 8-1 ATS in its past nine games against teams with winning records. The Blue Raiders won’t be backing down when they face the Butler Bulldogs in the Round of 32 on Saturday.
- Butler is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games as a favorite of 4.0 or more.
- Middle Tennessee is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games.
- Butler is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games against teams with winning records.
Middle Tennessee attacked the lane against Minnesota, which forced Big Ten defensive player of the year Reggie Lynch into foul trouble and onto the bench. At that point, the Raiders dominated the paint with Reggie Upshaw notching 19 points and nine rebounds.
Butler was always a dangerous team, but the Bulldogs may have gotten even scarier after Avery Woodson’s performance against Winthrop. In his NCAAB tourney debut, the Memphis transfer scored 18 points and tied his career high with six 3-pointers. Butler is typically known for its frontcourt, but if Woodson and freshman Kamar Baldwin provide a deep shooting threat, then Butler is a team to watch.
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders vs Butler Bulldogs Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
Supporters of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders have watched them go 31-4 and 24-10 ATS on the college basketball season, while the Butler Bulldogs are at 24-8 and 19-13 ATS. In totals betting, the Butler Bulldogs are 14-17-1, while the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders have a 13-20-1 mark.
The Butler Bulldogs sit at No. 80 in the current college hoops power poll here at Odds Shark, while the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders sit at No. 4 on the same chart.
Statistical Matchup
In the paint, the rebound battle will feature Butler's No. 247-rated squad against Middle Tennessee's No. 153-rated roster. And in long-range shooting, Butler rates No. 117 in the country with 7.66 per game, while their foes tonight, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders rank No. 206 nationally with 6.4 per match.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Blue Raiders got 19 points from Reggie Upshaw Jr. as Middle Tennessee ran past Minnesota 81-72 on Thursday at Bradley Center.
The Bulldogs got 18 points from Avery Woodson as Butler ran past Winthrop 76-64 on Thursday at Bradley Center.
