Saint Louis @ Butler preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 16, 2013 ) Butler 56, Saint Louis 67

Butler looks to build on its emotional win over Ohio State when it hosts Saint Louis on Saturday. The Bulldogs bested the Buckeyes 67-66 in overtime in their first matchup with former coach Chris Holtmann, who bolted Butler for Ohio State in the summer, in the fifth-place game of the PK80 Tournament, and they hope to ride the momentum to their first win over the Billikens since 2002.

"It was probably a little more emotional for the players," Butler coach LaVall Jordan said on the Dan Dakich Show. "We were preparing for Ohio State and the guys in the jerseys as much as anything to do with the coaches." Butler has won 38 consecutive nonconference home games and aims to extend its five-year streak with its first matchup with an Atlantic 10 opponent since leaving the conference at the end of the 2012-13 season. Saint Louis dropped its third consecutive game following a 66-51 setback to Western Michigan on Tuesday, but it has had Butler's number in recent years. The Billikens have won four straight games, including a 67-56 victory in their most recent meeting on March 16, 2013, and hope to continue their success by notching their first true road victory of the season.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, FS1

ABOUT SAINT LOUIS (3-3): Javon Bess led the way with 14 points and pulled down five rebounds despite playing with a sore thumb on his shooting hand in the loss to Western Michigan. "He was a warrior as I didn't know if he was going to be able to play," Saint Louis head coach Travis Ford told reporters. "His motor never stops and he's our best defender." Jordan Goodwin added 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals while freshman forward Hasahn French suffered an apparent knee injury against the Broncos and could miss a significant portion of the season.

ABOUT BUTLER (5-2): Kelan Martin scored a team-high 24 points, including the go-ahead basket with 3.8 seconds left, to go along with six rebounds and a career-high four steals as the Bulldogs erased a 15-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation to down Ohio State in overtime. Kamar Baldwin added 14 points and four assists while Paul Jorgensen tallied 10 points off the bench against the Buckeyes. Sean McDermott, who leads the team in 3-point shooting percentage (42.3), missed the win over Ohio State with an ankle injury and will be sidelined for the next four to six weeks.

TIP-INS

1. Butler has dropped five of the last seven home meetings with Saint Louis.

2. Martin has scored in double figures in six of his seven games this season.

3. The Billikens are ranked 335th nationally in 3-point percentage (27).

PREDICTION: Butler 78, Saint Louis 69