Boise State Broncos vs Butler Bulldogs Picks and Predictions April 2nd 2025

Butler Looks to Contain Degenhart as Boise State Clash Looms in Vegas

The inaugural College Basketball Crown may have raised questions about team motivation, but both Butler and Boise State left no doubt—they’re here to compete. After gritty opening-round wins, the Bulldogs and Broncos are set to collide Wednesday in Las Vegas, each hungry for a semifinal berth.

Butler (15-19) showed serious resolve in its first-round comeback over Utah. Shaking off the rust of a long layoff, the Bulldogs flipped a double-digit deficit into a thrilling win behind a 24-7 second-half surge. After Utah tied the game with just over a minute left, Butler’s Pierre Brooks II delivered the dagger—a slicing layup with 3.2 seconds remaining that sealed an 86-84 victory.

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“Me and (Patrick McCaffery), it’s our last time playing, and (Andre Screen) as well, so we wanted to (go) out with a bang,”
– Pierre Brooks II on his game-winning performance

Brooks was electric, finishing with 22 points and nine boards, reminding everyone just how dangerous he can be when it matters most. The Bulldogs didn’t reach the NCAA Tournament, but they’re playing like a team with something to prove.

“We wanted to make the NCAA Tournament but it wasn’t with us this year. So we just have to play the hardest, and we wanted to stay in Vegas.”
– Pierre Brooks II

Boise State (25-10), meanwhile, wasted no time making a statement. Coming off the disappointment of being one of the first four teams out of the NCAA bracket, the Broncos torched George Washington 89-59. Despite scoring only three points in the game’s first eight minutes, they quickly found rhythm and never looked back.

Freshman Pearson Carmichael provided a spark with 15 points and six steals, while Boise State’s defense turned up the heat—turning turnovers into 27 points and owning the fastbreak with an 18-0 margin.

All eyes, however, will be on senior forward Tyson Degenhart. With 19 points in the first-round blowout, Degenhart sits at 1,990 career points. Already the program’s all-time scoring leader, he could become Boise State’s first-ever 2,000-point scorer on Wednesday.

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“This is a very, very focused group. Especially led by the seniors… we just want to give it our all and just see where we can end up.”
– Tyson Degenhart on Boise State’s mindset

Both teams have different paths but share the same goal—extend the season, prove they belong, and earn a shot at the Crown title. The winner will move on to face either Nebraska or Georgetown in the semifinals.

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Boise State’s explosive win and Butler’s gritty comeback prove that postseason hunger still fuels these programs. As the matchup looms, check out our latest college basketball picks to see who might have the edge in Vegas.