Butler Bulldogs vs Connecticut Huskies

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Connecticut (-3.5)
Game Total Line: (129)
(wagering lines available at 5Dimes)

The stage is set at Reliant Stadium in Houston for a showdown between the Butler Bulldogs and the Connecticut Huskies in this year’s NCAA Championship. Monday night’s game is scheduled to tip-off at 9:23 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on CBS.

Butler is now two-for-two when it comes to making it the NCAA Tournament’s title game, but it is hoping for a different outcome this time around after suffering a heart-breaking two-point loss to Duke in last year’s game. To get there, the Bulldogs five-game journey included victories over No.1 seed Pittsburgh and No.3 seed Wisconsin en route to the Southeast Region title, but their 70-62 win over VCU on Saturday night as a 3 ½-point favorite was a true masterpiece.

Like they have all tournament long, Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack led the way for Butler and will undoubtedly be the key to this game as well. Howard found himself in early foul trouble but still managed to tally 17 points and eight rebounds, and Mack scored a team-high 24 points while pulling down six rebounds.

The Bulldogs’ dominance of the boards proved to be the difference as they outrebounded VCU 46-32, including a 15-5 edge on the offensive side of the ball. Brad Stevens’ team has now compiled an amazing 10-1 straight-up record in its last 11 tournament games.

Connecticut’s run to the national title game actually began with a five game run through this year’s Big East Tournament. The momentum continued to build with victories over No.2 seed San Diego State and No.4 seed Arizona to lock-up the West Region title, but the Huskies saved their best effort for Saturday night with a carefully orchestrated 56-55 win over Kentucky as a two-point underdog.

Kemba Walker, who has been primarily responsible for Connecticut’s success this postseason, scored a game-high 18 points, but also added six rebounds and seven assists in the winning effort. Freshman guard/forward Jeremy Lamb turned in another solid performance with 12 points and eight rebounds and Alex Oriakhi added eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds against the Wildcats.

The Huskies went just 1-for-12 from three point range and turned the ball over 15 times, but were still able to build a 10 point lead at the half and hold off a charging Kentucky team down the stretch. The overall effort was a testament to the resolve of Jim Calhoun’s team to simply keep winning games.

Whichever team wins this game, it will have been kind to anyone who had the insight and guts to pick them to win it all. Bodog.com had opened Butler at 200-1 and Connecticut at 28-1 to win the title before the tournament got underway. The Bulldogs are 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 games overall and the Huskies have gone 9-1 ATS over their 10-game run. The total has gone ‘over’ in three of Butler’s last four games, but has stayed ‘under’ in five of Connecticut’s last six games.

Against the Spread Game Pick

Both these teams have had to find a way to manufacture a win down the stretch and are no stranger to pressure-pack finishes so there is little doubt that this game will remain tight until the final buzzer. Walker once again proves to be the difference in a Huskies victory, but stick with Butler to cover with the 3.5 points. Take Butler +3.5 at Bodog and get an 100% bonus from Bodog. Last day of the promotion. Click Here Now!