Butler Bulldogs vs Xavier Musketeers Picks and Predictions March 5th 2025

Butler Bulldogs vs Xavier Musketeers March 5th 2025

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Musketeers versus the Bulldogs? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on CBSS. The game will be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Xavier is favored by -1.5 in this Big East conference matchup the against Butler. The over/under for the game is set at 154.5 points.

Musketeers vs. Bulldogs Key Information

• Sport: CBB
• Teams: Xavier Musketeers at Butler Bulldogs
• Where: Indianapolis at Hinkle Fieldhouse
• Date: Wednesday, March 5th
• Betting Odds XAV -1.5, XAV -124 | BUTL +103 O/U 154.5

The Musketeers Can Win If…

Xavier Musketeers Recent Game/Games

Xavier improved to 19-10 on the season with an 83-61 win over Creighton on Saturday. The Musketeers, who were -1.5 favorites, covered the spread with the victory.

After leading 42-27 at halftime, Xavier scored 41 points in the 2nd half while allowing 34. The total points for the game were 144, which fell under the O/U line of 151.5.

Xavier’s offense put up 83 points, shooting 55% from the field and hitting 52.4% from three-point range, connecting on 11 of 21 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 63.3%, with 24 assists and just 4 offensive rebounds.

Zach Freemantle and Ryan Kalkbrenner each scored 23 points, with Kalkbrenner adding 12 rebounds. Ryan Conwell contributed 20 points, shooting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, while Dante Maddox Jr. hit 3 of 4 threes, finishing with 16 points.

Despite giving up 61 points, Xavier’s defense allowed the opponent to shoot 55% from the field, including 56% on two-point attempts (22/39). The Musketeers also struggled to contain the three-point line, where the opposing team hit 52% of their shots, going 11/21.

From the free-throw line, the opponent shot 75%, making 6 of 8 attempts. Xavier did manage to limit second-chance opportunities, giving up just 4 offensive rebounds.

• Across the Musketeers last three road games, the team averaged 77 points per game while allowing 76. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 2-1 straight-up.
• In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Musketeers have a strong straight up record of 3-0. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.
• Over their last five games, the Musketeers have an over/under record of 3-2 and are 4-1 vs. the spread.

The Bulldogs Can Win If…

Butler Bulldogs Recent Game/Games

Butler’s season record dropped to 13-16 after an 80-70 road loss to Villanova on Saturday. The Bulldogs entered the game as +7.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

Butler trailed 43-35 at halftime and couldn’t make up ground in the 2nd half, scoring 35 points while allowing 37. The game’s total points of 150 exceeded the O/U line of 144.5.

Eric Dixon was the standout performer for Butler, scoring 34 points on 66.7% shooting and hitting 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. He also contributed 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Jahmyl Telfort and Finley Bizjack each added 16 points, with Bizjack dishing out 4 assists.

Butler shot 40% from the field, with a 47.7% effective field goal percentage. They hit 35.7% of their threes, going 10 for 28, and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, making 8 of 9 attempts. The Bulldogs grabbed 9 offensive rebounds and recorded 11 assists as a team.

Butler’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 80 points on 50% shooting from the field. Opponents had success inside, hitting 58% of their two-point attempts, going 18/31.

From beyond the arc, Butler allowed 12 threes on 28 attempts, a 42% shooting performance. They also sent the opposing team to the line 9 times, where they converted 8 free throws, an 88% rate.

• Across the Bulldogs last ten home games, the team averaged 69 points per game while allowing 74. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 6-4, while going 2-8 straight-up.
• Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the underdog, the Bulldogs have a straight up record of 0-10. Their record vs the spread in these games was 3-6-1.
• In their last five games, the Bulldogs have an over/under record of 3-2 and are 2-2-1 vs. the spread.

The Lean

Coming in as the underdogs at +1.5, we have the Bulldogs as the way to go on the point spread. Not only do we have them covering, but our projections show they have a good one of winning this one straight-up, if you’re looking for a higher payout on the moneyline.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 154.5, and our model projects the Musketeers and Bulldogs to reach a combined total of 145 points. Our bet is on taking the under.

Xavier Can Advance At-Large Case With Sixth Straight Win vs. Butler

Streaking Xavier will try to strengthen its NCAA Tournament case on Wednesday when it visits Butler in Indianapolis, where the Bulldogs will be looking to play spoiler on senior night.

Xavier Riding Five-Game Win Streak Into Crucial Matchup

Xavier (19-10, 11-7 Big East) enters the game as one of the hottest teams in the conference, having won five straight games and 10 of its last 13.

The Musketeers remain firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble, with CBS Sports currently projecting them among the “Last Four In,” while ESPN has them just outside the field, trailing only Oklahoma.

A win against struggling Butler is critical for Xavier, which already has marquee wins over Marquette, UConn, and Creighton but cannot afford a slip-up in its final road game of the regular season.

Head coach Sean Miller stressed the importance of staying focused.

“We’re playing our best basketball of the year. All coaches want that to be the case, and right now, that is the case for us,” Miller said. “We’ve done a really good job of not getting too far ahead of ourselves, and we haven’t gotten too down if things haven’t gone well. It’s really important for us as we approach the final week of our season that it remains true. We know we have a big test on Wednesday.”

Xavier is coming off a convincing 22-point home win over Creighton on Saturday, where Zach Freemantle led the way with 23 points while Ryan Conwell added 20.

Freemantle and Conwell have been Xavier’s offensive leaders, averaging 16.8 and 15.8 points per game, respectively.

Butler Looks to Salvage Season, Celebrate Senior Night

While Xavier fights for a tournament berth, Butler (13-16, 6-12 Big East) is simply looking to end its season on a high note after losing 15 of its last 21 games.

The Bulldogs started the season strong at 7-1, with quality wins over SMU, Northwestern, and Mississippi State, but have struggled in Big East play.

With their NCAA Tournament hopes gone barring a miraculous Big East Tournament run, Butler will focus on honoring its seniors: Jahmyl Telfort, Pierre Brooks II, Patrick McCaffery, and Andre Screen.

Telfort (16.0 PPG), Brooks (15.6 PPG), and McCaffery (11.0 PPG) have been Butler’s top scorers, with Brooks emerging as a 1,000-point scorer in just two seasons.

“My first couple of years I wasn’t really producing at a high level,” Brooks said. “Coach (Thad Matta) believed in me and put me in a position to succeed here at Butler. Coming here and being able to score 1,000 points and do it in front of this fan base is great.”

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Series History and Previous Meeting

Xavier defeated Butler 76-63 on Feb. 18 and has won four of the last five meetings.

With tournament stakes high for Xavier and pride on the line for Butler, expect an intense battle in Indianapolis as the Musketeers aim to keep their NCAA dreams alive and the Bulldogs try to send their seniors off with a win.