Butler @ Villanova preview
William B. Finneran Pavilion
Last Meeting ( Mar 2, 2019 ) Butler 54, Villanova 75
Butler's red-hot start to the season has disappeared in a flash. Now the 12th-ranked Bulldogs have to regroup from back-to-back losses in time to visit No. 11 Villanova on Tuesday.
After winning 15 of its first 16 games, Butler dropped an eight-point decision against a ranked Seton Hall squad before getting stunned by 13 against a DePaul team that had been 0-4 in Big East play. "Our guys just have to understand every night in the Big East, this is what it is," said Bulldogs coach LaVall Jordan, whose team had not given up more than 67 points in a game this season before yielding 78 and 79 in the last two contests. Of course, another stiff challenge awaits in Villanova, which has won 10 of its last 11 games. "Attitude is so important to us," said freshman Jeremiah Robinson-Earl after his team rallied late to edge Connecticut over the weekend.
TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: CBS Sports Network
ABOUT BUTLER (15-3, 3-2 Big East): Kamar Baldwin (15.1 points) has generally been consistent of late, although he is 1-of-8 from 3-point range in the last two games. Sean McDermott (11.5 points) had 10 points against DePaul and, with eight rebounds, was the only player on the team to grab more than three boards. Jordan Tucker (9.6 points) contributed 13 points off the bench in that one and has made multiple 3-pointers in eight consecutive games.
ABOUT VILLANOVA (14-3, 4-1): The Wildcats are 3-0 on their current homestand, although they hardly lit the world on fire in the 61-55 triumph over UConn. Jermaine Samuels had 19 points, including several big plays down the stretch, and Robinson-Earl chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. Leading scorer Saddiq Bey (15.1 points) had nine points -- the fifth time in the last seven games that he registered 11 or fewer -- although his 3-point shooting remained sharp (14-of-23 over the last three outings).
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Butler ranks fifth nationally in points allowed per game (57.1).
2. Samuels was 4-of-6 from 3-point land against UConn after going 3-of-23 from the arc in the previous five outings.
3. Villanova won last year's two meetings by eight and 21 points, respectively.
PREDICTION: Villanova 79, Butler 74