The Butler Bulldogs (14-18) and the Providence Friars (24-4) square off in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Big East Tournament on Thursday afternoon. In their battle in the first round, the Bulldogs topped Xavier 89-82 in overtime. Providence is the No. 1 seed in this tournament and the winner of this game advances to play either No. 4 Creighton or No. 5 Marquette on Mar. 11.
Tipoff is at noon ET from Madison Square Garden. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Friars as 7.5-point favorites in the latest Butler vs. Providence odds. The over-under for total points is set at 127. Before making any Providence vs. Butler picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $1,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Butler vs. Providence, and just revealed its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for Providence vs. Butler:
- Butler vs. Providence spread: Friars -7.5
- Butler vs. Providence over-under: 127 points
- Butler vs. Providence money line: Bulldogs +270, Friars -340
- BUT: Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall
- PROV: Friars are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight-up loss
Featured Game | Providence Friars vs. Butler Bulldogs
Why Providence can cover
Nate Watson is the star for the Friars, but they have plenty of strong supporting pieces as well. Redshirt junior guard Jared Bynum is a viable option in the backcourt for Providence. He averages 12.9 points, three rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Bynum has consistently produced offensively for the Friars. He scored in double figures in 13 games thus far. In the season finale, Bynum recorded a double-double with 19 points, six rebounds and 10 assists.
Senior guard A.J. Reeves is another player who can get a bucket for Providence. He is logging 10.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and is knocking down 39 percent of his 3-point attempts. The Massachusetts native scored at least 15 points in four of his last five games. On Feb. 26 against Creighton, Reeves had 23 points and shot 7-for-10 from beyond the arc.
Why Butler can cover
Guard Chuck Harris averages 11.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. The Virginia native can spark Butler’s offense in any contest. Harris scored at least 15 points in 11 games, including a terrific outing in the first round. On Mar. 9 against Xavier, he logged a season-high 29 points, two assists, and shot 12-for-20 from the floor.
Forward Bryce Nze gives Butler a physical presence in the paint. He averages 8.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. The Wisconsin native has recorded three double-doubles over his past five games. In his last contest, Nze put up 15 points and 15 rebounds. He can impose his will among defenders and provide the Bulldogs with an edge.
How to make Butler vs. Providence picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 135 points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Providence vs. Butler? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up almost $1,600 on its top-rated college basketball spread picks over the last five-plus years, and find out.
