Butler edged ODU in the first round and will be 8-point underdogs against the Pittsburgh Panthers in second round action today.
Verizon Center hosts the game between the 1-seed Pitt and No. 8 Butler, who have enough size and creativity to thwart Pitt's Gary McGhee.
Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker will lead Pitt in the backcourt while Shelvin Mack is improving and a threat for Butler.
View Butler vs Pittsburgh Odds and Stats.
Betting Line:
Bettors looking to side with Pittsburgh in this one will find them as 8-point favorites. For winning picks on all Madness games, check out PredictionMachine which is 13-4 ATS so far in the tournament.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Panthers - Bulldogs odds would favor the Panthers if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Pittsburgh is rated No. 3 in the current Odds Shark poll, while Butler is at No. 38. Mathematical models based on recent stats and predictive formulas point to a 81-76 win for the Panthers.
How They Match Up:
Rebounding is always a key handicapping consideration and Bulldogs is ranked No. 180 in NCAA hoops at 34.8 per game. Contrast that with Pittsburgh’s No. 8 mark in the paint. When it comes to three-point shooting, Pittsburgh is the No. 200-ranked team in the country at 5.9 per game, while Butler rates No. 69 at 7.5 per game.
Defensively, Butler features the nation's No. 50-rated defense on the road, allowing 65.5 points per game. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, comes in at No. 71 nationally in scoring at home.
Butler won its last outing, a 60-58 result against Old Dominion on March 17. They covered in that game as a 1-point underdog.
Pittsburgh was a 74-51 Sportsbook in their most recent outing against UNC Asheville. They covered the 18.5–point spread as favorites.
Butler Bulldogs Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
After playing Old Dominion are 1-1
After a win are 9-1
Pittsburgh Panthers Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 7-3
After a win are 6-4
A few Bulldogs at Panthers trends to consider:
Pittsburgh is 18-4 SU in its last 22 games
