Thursday’s slate has Brad Stevens’ troops visiting the Saint Louis Billikens, who are 0-2 ATS in their last pair of home dates.Will Butler collect again here or can Saint Louis get the money as a short fave?
Thursday Hoops Betting: No. 9 Butler visits Saint Louis
The No. 9 Butler Bulldogs have cashed six straight tickets at NCAAB
betting windows, holding their rivals to 62.3 PPG.
Bulldogs, Clarke hold
off Temple
Butler shot 52 percent from its floor in Saturday’s 83-71 victory
over the Temple Owls, picking up its latest ATS win as a six-point favorite.
Bulldogs guard Rotnei Clarke piled in 24 points, while logging nine of his
squad’s 16 assists.
Butler’s Kellen Dunham drilled 5-of-6 shots beyond the arc,
finishing with 17 points. Bulldogs mates Andrew Smith and Khyle Marshall united
to sink 11-of-13 field buckets, while logging five boards each.
The duel’s combined 154 points soared above the ‘total’ of 129,
ending a 3-0 UNDER streak from the Bulldogs’ prior trio of games. Butler
connected 23-of-29 free throws, while out-rebounding Temple, 33-21.
Billikens, Evans shut
down Bonnies
Saint Louis notched a second straight win in Saturday’s 67-57
triumph as a three-point road favorite against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. The
Billikens held St. Bonaventure to 36.2 percent field shooting, including a
2-for-16 day from three-point land.
Billikens forward Dwayne Evans notched team-highs of 18 points and
eight rebounds, knocking down 7-of-11 shots from the floor. Saint Louis’ Cody
Ellis and Mike McCall united for 19 points and seven steals, while mate Jordair
Jett logged three assists.
The contest’s combined 124 points dipped below the ‘total’ of 132
½, moving the UNDER to 3-2 in the Billikens’ last five affairs. Saint Louis’
Rob Loe notched two of his side’s three blocks, while held to four points in 13
minutes of action.
Back the Billikens at
home
Bookmaker.eu opened Saint Louis as a two-point home favorite, with
early wager on the Billikens liftin the spread a ‘hook’ to 2 ½. The ‘total’ was
first listed at 122 ½, remaining unchanged in mixed initial betting.
I am backing Saint Louis in this battle, laying the short number
as part of my sports picks for Thursday’s card. The Billikens drained 14-of-26
buckets beyond the arc in their most recent home date with the Rhode Island
Rams, while shooting 46.1 percent from the field at home this year.
Saint Louis ranks among the top five squads of the Atlantic 10
Conference in free throws (71.6 percent) and three-point shooting (35.5
percent). Evans and Co. have cashed at 5-2 ATS in their last seven matchups
that followed a victory.
Butler has held its own at the betting windows, but was held to 53
points in Wednesday’s most recent road spot against the La Salle Explorers. The
Bulldogs sparsely reached the foul line, going 4-for-7 with free throws, while
blowing a 28-23 halftime lead.
Look for Butler’s run of cashed tickets to end in this spot, while
Saint Louis brings its top effort at home against this ranked foe.
College Basketball Picks: Saint Louis
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