Halftime Report
Their last head-to-head back in November of 2016 was close, and so far it looks like that’s how Butler and Northwestern will finish this one. After one quarter, neither squad has the contest in the bag, but Butler leads 31-28 over Northwestern.
Butler entered the match having won three straight and they’re just one half away from another. Will they make it four, or will Northwestern step up and spoil it? We’ll know soon.
Who’s Playing
Butler Bulldogs @ Northwestern Wildcats
Current Records: Butler 4-1, Northwestern 5-1
How To Watch
What to Know
Northwestern has enjoyed a four-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Butler Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. ET on Thursday at Mullett Arena. The two teams have allowed few points on average, (the Wildcats: 61.3, the Bulldogs: 61.4) so any points scored will be well earned.
Northwestern is headed into this one after the oddsmakers set last week’s over/under low at 137.5, but even that wound up being too high. They enjoyed a cozy 68-50 victory over Pepperdine on Friday.
Northwestern’s success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Nick Martinelli led the charge by scoring 20 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jalen Leach, who went 7 for 12 en route to 21 points.
Meanwhile, Butler waltzed into their contest on Friday with two straight wins… but they left with three. They put a hurting on the Warriors to the tune of 78-39. That 39 point margin sets a new team best for the Bulldogs this season.
Among those leading the charge was Pierre Brooks II, who shot 4-for-5 from downtown and dropped a double-double on 23 points and 12 rebounds. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in offensive rebounds (four). Another player making a difference was Andre Screen, who almost dropped a double-double on 12 points and nine rebounds.
Butler smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Merrimack only pulled down six.
Northwestern pushed their record up to 5-1 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season. As for Butler, their victory bumped their record up to 4-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Northwestern has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 37.3 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like Butler struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 39. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we’ll see if one team can grab an edge.
Looking forward, Northwestern is expected to win a tight contest, barring any buzzer beaters. This contest will be their fifth straight as the favorites (so far over this stretch they are 0-3-1 against the spread).
Odds
Northwestern is a slight 2.5-point favorite against Butler, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Wildcats as a 1.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 134.5 points.
See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Butler won the only game these two teams have played in the last 8 years.
- Nov 16, 2016 – Butler 70 vs. Northwestern 68
