Butler @ Creighton preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 31, 2017 ) Creighton 76, Butler 67

The good news for Butler is that the remainder of its schedule won't be nearly as difficult as it has been for the last 1 1/2 weeks, but the bad news is that its most challenging stretch of the season isn't quite over yet. The Bulldogs will play the last of four straight ranked Big East opponents Tuesday when they visit No. 22 Creighton.

Butler won each of its first two conference games, a double-overtime thriller at Georgetown on Dec. 27 just three days prior to handing No. 1 Villanova its only loss of the season, before its four-game winning streak was halted with last Tuesday's 86-79 setback at 10th-ranked Xavier. The Bulldogs picked up their second straight defeat Saturday, letting an 11-point lead with just under 10 minutes remaining slip away versus No. 15 Seton Hall. The Bluejays, who have won three of the last four meetings in this rivalry, drained 10 3-pointers in the first half and 16 for the game Saturday to cruise to a 90-66 victory over Georgetown. Creighton has won eight of its last nine overall and 11 straight home games, including a 10-0 mark this season in which it has outscored opponents by an average margin of 28.3 points.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT BUTLER (12-5, 2-2 Big East): The bench outscored Seton Hall's 32-14 and the Bulldogs finished 25-of-28 from the foul line Saturday, but its struggles defending the 3-pointer - Butler ranks 308th in Division I (37.7) - proved to be its downfall yet again as the Pirates shot 11-for-22 from long-range. Senior forward Kelan Martin, who ranks third in the conference in scoring (19.8 points) and paces the team in rebounding (6.5), is averaging 25.8 points on 48.7-percent shooting in league play. After scoring 26 points per game over his first three Big East outings, Kamar Baldwin (15.3 points, 4.9 boards) was limited to 14 versus the Pirates, although the 6-1 sophomore guard managed to extend his streak of collecting at least five rebounds to seven games.

ABOUT CREIGHTON (13-3, 3-1): Although sophomore forward Martin Krampelj (12.7 points, 8.2 rebounds) has emerged as a top offensive threat in the frontcourt this year and posted his third double-double in four games, it was Toby Hegner's turn in the spotlight Saturday, as the 6-10 senior buried a career-high five 3-pointers en route to a season-high 19-point effort. Sophomore guard Davion Mintz (8.1 points, 2.8 assists) responded well to a late-game benching in Wednesday's win over St. John's, tallying a career-high 17 points and six assists without committing a turnover Saturday. Leading scorer Marcus Foster (18.8 points) went 3-for-14 from the field and finished with nine points against the Hoyas, ending his 33-game streak of reaching double figures - which was the eighth-longest active streak in the country.

TIP-INS

1. Creighton has only trailed for 75:49 of a possible 640 minutes.

2. Martin and Baldwin have combined for five 25-point outings during Big East play this season. Over the previous three full seasons combined, the Bulldogs managed only 14 such performances.

3. Foster's nine-point effort Saturday marked only the third time he has scored in single figures in 51 career games with the Bluejays.

PREDICTION: Creighton 88, Butler 77