Purdue vs Butler Odds and Picks (Dec. 18)

• The Purdue Boilermakers are 15.5-point favorites over the Butler Bulldogs in an NCAA men’s basketball game slated for Saturday, December 18
• The #3-ranked Boilermakers are 9-1 this season
• This game is the opener in the Crossroads Classic played at Indianapolis

Will the Butler Bulldogs prove to be the latest obstacle to be overcome by the Purdue Boilermakers? The #3 Boilermakers already seen an unprecedented year on the basketball court. For the first time in the history of the program, they achieved the #1 ranking in the top 25.

Saturday, they’ll be seeking to beat Butler for just the third time in the last nine games. Butler is 4-1 straight up in five previous Crossroads Classic matchups against Purdue. This is the 11th and final season of the Crossroads Classic event.

Even though the Bulldogs have dominated, it’s Purdue that oddsmakers like this time as 15.5 road favorites. The Boilermakers are 0-3 against the spread in their last three games and 6-4 ATS on the season.

Butler vs Purdue Odds

Odds as of December 17th at FanDuel
Tipoff for Saturday’s game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse is set for 12 noon ET. FOX Sports is carrying the broadcast.

Butler Bulldogs Betting Trends

The Bulldogs are 7-3 on the season. Their three losses are to Houston, Michigan State and Texas A&M. But they have won four in a row, including an impressive 66-62 road win at Oklahoma in the Big East/Big 12 Battle.

Senior guard is Jair Bolden is pacing the Butler attack. He’s averaging 11.4 PPG, 2.3 RPB, and 1.2 APG. Bolden has gone off for double digits in seven of 10 games this season. Sophomore guard Chuck Harris leads the team with 11.6 PPG.

See you Saturday. #CrossroadsClassic pic.twitter.com/w6z4rG75g0

— Butler Basketball (@ButlerMBB) December 17, 2021

Graduate student forward Bryce Nze is pulling down a team-leading 5.5 rebounds per game. Graduate student guard Aaron Thompson netted 14 points in Butler’s most recent game, a 66-54 victory over Eastern Illinois.

The Bulldogs return 10 of their 11 top scorers from a season ago. Butler’s roster returns 97.2% of its scoring and 96.2% of its minutes played from last season.

The Bulldogs’ opponents have combined to shoot only 28.4% from three-point range, which is 41st nationally.

Purdue Boilermakers Betting Trends

Purdue is one of four teams nationally to shoot at least 50% from the field, 40% from 3-point range and 70% from the free throw line. The Boilermakers own four wins against the KenPom top 40, the most of any team in the country.

Sophomore guard Jaden Ivey continues to pace the Boilermakers in just about every offensive area. He’s averaging 16.4 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game, and 3.4 assists per game.

📍: @GainbridgeFH pic.twitter.com/mQtvA5OlFB

— Purdue Mens Basketball (@BoilerBall) December 17, 2021

He’s among four Purdue players hitting double digits in points in a per game basis. Senior guard Sasha Stefanovic (11.9), junior forward Trevion Williams (14.2), and sophomore center Zach Edey (14.6) are the others.

Big Ten player of the week Williams posted a stat line of 22 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, four blocks and two steals against North Carolina State. He’s the only player in the NCAA in the last 15 years to reach those marks in a single game.

Boilermakers vs Bulldogs Prediction

Purdue is holding a 39-20 overall edge in the all-time series between the two schools. The Boilermakers are averaging 87.4 points per game this season. That puts them at #4 in the nation.

Butler is only scoring 64.9 points per game. However, the Bulldogs are the country’s 20th-ranked defense, allowing just 58.3 PPG.

Starting with their 77-70 win over Iowa, the Boilermakers have failed to cover the spread in each of the last three games. Purdue is 4-4 ATS this season as a double-digit point favorite.

📍: Indy pic.twitter.com/5xZbHT4VT5

— Purdue Mens Basketball (@BoilerBall) December 17, 2021

Butler is 6-2 both SU and ATS in the last eight games against Purdue. This season, though, the Bulldogs are 2-5 ATS in their past seven games.

Purdue is 3-7 all-time in the Crossroads Classic. The Bulldogs are 6-4 in the event. Including a win in the 2006 Wooden Tradition, Butler is 5-1 against the Boilermakers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Pick: Butler Bulldogs +15.5