Butler vs Houston Odds and Picks (Nov. 22)
- No. 15 Houston is a 8.5-point favorite over Butler
- Houston is 3-0 straight up, 2-1 ATS
- Butler is 3-1 straight up, 1-3 ATS
No. 15 Houston (2-0) is a 8.5-point favorite over Butler in the first round of the Maui Jim Invitational on Monday at 4:30 pm ET on ESPN2 at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Covid-19 concerns caused the Hawaii organizers to relocate the event this year.
Butler (3-1) and Houston will meet for the first time.
Butler vs Houston Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler Bulldogs | +340 | +8.5 (-102) | Over 123.5(-114) |
| Houston Cougars | -450 | -8.5 (-120) | Under 123.5 (-106) |
Odds from FanDuel on Nov. 21
Houston was voted No. 1 in the AAC preseason poll by the coaches and is the second betting favorite (+250) to win in the league behind Memphis (+195) by FanDuel. Butler is the sixth choice (+2100 ) to win the Big East.
Each team enters the Maui Jim after 20-point runaways. Houston beat Virginia 67-47 at home Tuesday. Butler suffered its first defeat of the season Wednesday, a 73-52 home loss to Michigan State.
Houston Reloads
Cougars’ 6’2 junior guard Marcus Sasser is the only returning starter on a physical, athletic team that muscled its way into the 2020 Final Four before falling to Baylor in the semifinals, and he is off to a strong start while occupying the role of Quentin Grimes, the co-American Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2020.
Sasser is averaging 23.3 points per game and has made 12 of 25 three-point attempts, with at least three makes in each of the first three games. A career 38 percent shooter from the field, Sasser is shooting to 46.8 in this season’s small sample size.
He seized the spotlight in the NCAA tournament a year ago, scoring 20 points apiece against Oregon State in the Elite Eight and Baylor in the Final Four while make 10 of 22 3-pointers.
.@m_sasser0 named to Watch List for National Player of the Year honor#ForTheCity x #GoCoogs https://t.co/qv22nccPuJ pic.twitter.com/jTSh27S9dT
— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) November 8, 2021
Coach Kelvin Sampson added Texas Tech transfer Kyler Edwards and Cal Bakersfield transfer Taze Moore to a backcourt that also lost two-year starter DeJon Jarreau.
Edwards, a 6’4 senior, is averaging 15.3 points per game after averaging in double-figures the last two seasons with the Red Raiders. He will provide more scoring than Jarreau. Edwards has 10 threes for a team that will spot up from behind the line.
https://youtu.be/ceigD-rKxps
Houston’s Fabian White, a 6’8 senior, had some quality minutes in the NCAA tournament after returning from a knee injury, and 6’7, 230-pound sophomore J’Wan Roberts is averaging 10 rebounds a game.
Freshman guard Ramon Walker Jr., a possible rotation contributor, had surgery to repair a broken hand last week and is expected to miss about a month.
Butler’s Nze Questionable
The Bulldogs received a potentially devastating blow when Bryce Nze suffered a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder in the first half of the 73-62 loss to Michigan State. Nze, who played only seven minutes and did not score against the Spartans, has not been ruled out of the Houston game.
Nze, 6’7, is a sixth-year senior, averaged a 11.4 points and 7.7 rebounds a year ago, both career highs, and got strong as the season got longer, averaing 14.3 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting 54 percent from the field in the final 10 games.
He is averaging 6.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists this season, and the Bulldogs like to run their offense through him.
— Butler Basketball (@ButlerMBB) November 18, 2021
Michigan State led 22-8 about the time Nze left, and Butler had limited success thereafter. The Bulldogs shot 28.6 percent from the field and were out-rebounded 41-25. The attempted 30 three-pointers and made nine. They attempted 26 two-pointers.
Senior 6’8 transfer Ty Groce had his best game of the season, with 15 points and eight rebounds. He led Eastern Michigan in scoring and rebounding a year ago.
Tournament Tester
The Maui Jim field is loaded as usual. Wisconsin and Texas A&M join Houston and Butler in the top half of the bracket. Oregon, St. Mary’s, Notre Dame and “host” Chaminade are in the lower half. The Houston/Butler winner will play the Wisconsin/Texas A&M winner Tuesday.
No. 12 Oregon is the highest-ranked team in the field, with Houston second. Notre Dame won the event in 2017, followed by Gonzaga (2018), Kansas (2019) and Texas (2020).
By the Numbers
Houston is one of five teams ranked in the KenPom top 15 in both adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency. The Cougars ranked ninth in Division I in rebound percentage a year ago, claiming 56 percent. Houston’s 114 victories rank behind only Gonzaga (130) among NCAA Division I teams since the start of the 2017-18 season.
The pick: Houston -8.5 (-120)
Jack has covered college and professional sports for various Arizona media outlets since the 1980s and has written for the Associated Press, USA Today and Baseball America, among others. He staffed the 2015-17 World Series and has staffed four Super Bowls.
