UConn vs Butler Odds, Picks and Predictions: Bulldogs Get Bullied

The Connecticut Huskies will look to finally pick up their first true road win of the year on Friday night as they visit the Butler Bulldogs in a Big East matchup.

Connecticut (12-2) is ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 and is riding a two-game winning streak. The Huskies are favored in the college basketball odds tonight over Butler (10-4), which is just 1-2 so far in Big East play.

UConn will be playing without center Donovan Clingan yet again, but that hasn’t impacted the squad over the last two games. We’ll discuss whether the Huskies can keep up the momentum tonight in our free college basketball picks and predictions for Connecticut vs. Butler on Friday, January 5.

UConn vs Butler best odds

UConn vs Butler picks and predictions

The Connecticut Huskies are coming off an easy 85-56 win over the DePaul Blue Demons on Tuesday night. Connecticut has won five of its last six, and outside a surprising loss on the road to the Seton Hall Pirates just before Christmas, it has only lost to the Kansas Jayhawks. Meanwhile, the Huskies have wins over quality opponents like the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Texas Longhorns, and the Gonzaga Bulldogs, all on neutral courts.

The only blemish on Connecticut’s resume is the fact that they are 0-2 in their only two true road games this year. However, that seems like a small sample size issue that’s not worth thinking about as a bettor. UConn is an outstanding and deep offensive team that plays well on the defensive end as well. The Huskies are scoring an excellent 83.1 points per game despite playing at a deliberate, controlled pace. 

Even with the loss of Donovan Clingan, who is currently recovering from a foot injury, Connecticut has plenty of weapons on offense. However, they might feel his loss a bit more sharply when it comes to interior defense. Clingan is averaging 13.9 points per game but also gets two blocks per night. 

Butler doesn’t look particularly equipped to take advantage of this. While the Bulldogs boast four players scoring in double figures, led by Pierre Brooks (16.4 ppg), all four of these players are guards. Butler gets the majority of its points on the perimeter and doesn’t have a great option for dumping the ball into the low post where they could look to exploit Clingan’s absence. 

Butler is currently on a two-game losing streak, with both losses coming by double digits. The Bulldogs lost to both the Providence Friars and the St. John’s Red Storm, each of which are far weaker opponents than UConn. Perhaps most concerningly for bettors, Butler has also lost five straight games against the spread. 

On a neutral court, with both teams at full strength, UConn should be a double-digit favorite. Yes, Connecticut is playing without Clingan, and Butler has the home-court advantage tonight. But I don’t think those factors do nearly enough to explain why the spread has fallen all the way down to 4.5 points at some sites. 

I can’t ignore the fact that the Huskies are by far the deeper and more talented team and the one that has found far more success this season. I’m backing Connecticut and laying the points, and would be willing to do so even if the spread was a couple of points longer. 

My best bet: Connecticut -4.5 (-110 at BetMGM) 25% boost available

UConn vs Butler same-game parlay

Connecticut -4.5

Under 144

Cam Spencer Over 15.5 points

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+575 at DraftKings

I like Connecticut to pull away from Butler in this game, which is why I’m taking the Huskies to cover the spread as my best bet of the night. To make a same-game parlay, I’m also throwing in a bet on the Under at 144 points. UConn plays at a controlled pace and has played to totals of 141 or less in each of their last four games, a streak that should continue tonight.

Finally, let’s back Cam Spencer to score Over 15.5 points in tonight’s game. Spencer has hit this total in seven of his last 12 outings but has also scored exactly 15 points on three more occasions. In a game that the Huskies should be able to win easily, and without Clingan in the lineup, Spencer should be able to hit the Over and complete our SGP.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

UConn vs Butler spread and Over/Under analysis

Connecticut opened tonight’s game as a 6.5-point favorite. That number has steadily come down, with most books now at a 5.5-point spread, and some going as low as 4.5 points. For the most part, I found -110 odds on both sides at 4.5 points, with UConn available at reduced -102 odds on the 5.5-point spread.

Both teams have been solid against the spread so far this year. Connecticut has put up an 8-6 ATS record, while Butler is 7-6 ATS on the season.

Even without Clingan available for the Huskies tonight, it’s hard to understand why this number is being bet lower. There is a wide gulf in talent between Connecticut and Butler this year, and it has shown in their recent results. The fact that Butler hasn’t yet lost at home – and UConn has yet to win on the road – is a fun fact, but not one anyone should hang their hat on. I’m taking Connecticut to cover the spread.

The total for this game opened at 144.5 points. That remains the most common Over/Under on the market, with -110 odds available on both sides of the line at most sites.

Neither team has a particularly strong trend against the total this season. The Over holds a 7-5-1 edge in Butler’s games, while the Under has put up a 7-6-1 record when Connecticut takes the court this year.

While both teams are more than capable on the offensive end, there are still reasons to expect this game to be played at a relatively low number tonight. Connecticut has held seven of its last nine opponents under 70 points, and should have enough talent to keep Butler well below that make as well. The Huskies also enjoy playing slowly, and if they’re in control, we can expect possessions to be limited down the stretch. I’m leaning towards the Under.

UConn vs Butler betting trend to know

Butler is 0-5 ATS in its last five games overall. Find more college basketball betting trends for UConn vs. Butler.

UConn vs Butler game info

UConn vs Butler key injuries

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