UTEP Miners versus Butler Bullodgs CBS TV NCAA Tournament College Basketball Sports Betting Odds Pick Preview

Published on March 16, 2010 by admin · No Comments

It will be a battle of the mid majors when the UTEP Miners from conference USA battles the Butler Bulldogs from the Horizon League in a first round NCAA Tournament college basketball game on Thursday night. Tip off time at the HP Pavilion in San Jose California is scheduled for 4:55PM Eastern Time with national television coverage by CBS.

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The LVSC college basketball odds makers set the betting line in this game and the Butler Bulldogs opened up as 5 point favorites with the over under coming in at 130.

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The play came in early from the bettors on the side of the underdog UTEP Miners, as the Butler Bulldogs are 2 ½ point favorites. The total has seen early movement on the side of the over, as the game is lined at 130 ½ for the bettors to play into.

Money line bettors on the side of the favored Butlers Bulldogs will find –145 odds with the underdog UTEP Miners bringing back +125 to pull off the upset victory without the need for taking the points.

These Mid Major schools are facing off for the first time.

We will take a look at this game based on their games against teams in the NCAA Tournament.

The Butler Bulldogs completed regular season play with a 28-4 overall record and a perfect 18-0 versus Horizon League competition. It is worth noting that no other Horizon League team made the tournament. Butler faced 6 teams playing in the NCAA Tournament and went 3-3 in those games. The Bulldogs averaged 68.1 points per game and allowed 66.3. Butler only shot 40.6% from the field against NCAA Tournament teams and allowed 44.4%. The school hit on 35.3% of their three’s and converted on a very good 77% of their free throws.

UTEP completed regular season play with a 26-6 record and 15-1 in Conference USA competition. The Miners competed against 7 teams in the NCAA Tournament and went 3-4. They averaged 76.5 points a game and gave up 74.2. The team converted on 41.5% of their shots and allowed just 37.9% shooting. UTEP struggled in those games from beyond the arc hitting on 30% and converted on 69.4% of their free throws.

Butler enters the NCAA Tournament red hot as the team has strung 20 straight victories. The Bulldogs pounded Wright St in the finals of the Horizon League Tournament 70-45 as a 7-point favorite. The Bulldogs were able to convert on 52.2% of their shots and 47.4% from three. The Bulldogs held Wright St to just 34.6% shooting. On February 20th in Bracket Busters the club hosted Siena and pounded them 70-53 as an 8 point betting favorite.

UTEP too has played well down the stretch, as they are winners of 16 of their last 17 games. At the Conference USA Tournament the team opened play with a 76-54 thumping of Central Florida as a 10-point favorite. They followed that up with a 75-61 win over the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes as a 3-point favorite on Tulsa’s home floor. In the finals of the Conference USA tourney it was the Houston Cougars pulling out the upset victory as a 7-½ point underdog against UTEP. The Cougars pulled away late against the Miners to earn victory. UTEP allowed Houston 46.6% shooting in defeat.

Trend: UTEP is 6-1 to the over as an underdog this season

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