Providence @ Butler preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 17, 2018 ) Providence 54, Butler 69

Butler missed an opportunity to pick up a marquee win to boost its NCAA Tournament resume, but it has another chance on the horizon. Before a trip to Villanova on Saturday, the Bulldogs must first take care of business when last-place Providence pays a visit to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Tuesday night.

Butler led by as many as eight points in the first half at No. 9 Marquette last Wednesday before fading in the second half and dropping a 79-69 decision, leaving the Bulldogs in need of a solid stretch run to impress the tournament committee in March. "I think the guys are locked in," Butler junior forward Sean McDermott told reporters after scoring a career-high 27 points in the loss. "We didn't win this one tonight, but we'll go back tomorrow and attack each day and try to go 1-0 from now on." The Friars had designs on reaching the Big Dance for the sixth straight time but they've faded with losses in six of their last eight games. They shot 27.6 percent in a 20-point first half against Marquette on Saturday at home and could never recover, falling 76-58.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (15-13, 5-10 Big East): Junior guard Alpha Diallo finished with 19 points in the loss to Marquette and leads the Friars in scoring at 16.5 per game, but he was one of seven players to shoot under 50 percent from the floor Saturday and the team as a whole finished at 38.6 percent. "We had some open looks early, but we're putting a lot of pressure on our defense," coach Ed Cooley told reporters of a team that ranks last in the Big East with 71 points per game. "We have to do a better job on focusing on the little things." A bright spot was the play of freshman guard A.J. Reeves, who scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting in his best offensive effort since returning from a foot injury.

ABOUT BUTLER (15-12, 6-8): Junior guard Kamar Baldwin chipped in 12 points in the loss to the Marquette as his team-leading scoring average dipped to 17.3. Senior guard Paul Jorgensen is next on the list at 11.8 points per game, and he's reached double digits in six consecutive contests. McDermott ranks fifth in the conference in 3-point percentage (42.9) after making 7-of-12 over his last two games.

TIP-INS

1. The teams meet again in Providence on March 9 in their respective regular-season finales.

2. Diallo is 3-for-17 from long range over a six-game stretch.

3. Baldwin had 25 points in a loss at Providence in the first encounter of 2017-18, and then just seven in a win over the Friars at home later in the season.

PREDICTION: Butler 73, Providence 66