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DePaul vs. Butler Prediction and Odds: Can Bulldogs Fight Through Several Key Injuries?

By Matt De Saro

Butler and DePaul are set to kick off conference play tonight with a head-to-head showdown.
Butler and DePaul are set to kick off conference play tonight with a head-to-head showdown. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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The DePaul Blue Demons hit the road Wednesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse to take on the Butler Bulldogs in Big East action.

The Blue Demons are off to a hot start at 9-1 and hope to keep that momentum going in their Big East debut. DePaul comes off a 72-66 win over UIC but hasn’t been on the court since Dec. 14 and might have a bit of ring rust to shake off tonight. The Demons’ offense is led by Javon Freeman-Liberty with a 20.9 PPG average and 8.3 boards per game. Freeman-Liberty scored 27 in their last game and will need to get going early tonight for DePaul to keep their momentum going. 

On the flip side, Butler struggled in their last game against Purdue. The Bulldogs were blown out to the tune of 77-48 and are looking for a bounce-back game tonight. The Bulldogs were led in that loss by Bryce Golen with 17 points but shot 32.2 percent overall as a team. Despite the blowout loss, Butler is favored by two points tonight in their first conference action of the season.

Here are the odds for this matchup, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

DePaul vs. Butler Odds, Spread and Total

Spread:

  • DePaul +2 (-110)
  • Butler -2 (-110)

Moneyline:

  • DePaul +105
  • Butler -125

Total: 133.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

DePaul vs. Butler and Pick

DePaul is off to a much better start this year and appears to have left last season’s struggles in their rearview mirror. The Bulldogs are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games and could cruise to a win here despite the close spread. 

The big issue or Butler is their growing list of injured players. As of this writing, they will be without Bryce Nze, Pierce Thomas, and Bo Hodges against their conference rivals tonight. Chuck Harris, the team’s leading scorer, is questionable with an illness and might not suit up tonight as well. This will not help the scoring totals for a Butler team ranking 324th nationally in overall points scored and 352nd in field goals attempted. 

Combining their poor shooting stats with their crowded list of injured players, DePaul as a slight underdog is the play here. Butler is on a 1-5 ATS slide and tonight won't be any kinder to the Bulldogs. 

Pick: DePaul +105 to win

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