Butler vs UConn Odds, Pick: Cruise Control for Huskies

UConn left Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon with an impressive victory after crushing St. John's in the second half despite missing starter Alex Karaban. Dan Hurley's team has separated itself as the clear No. 1 team in the country. UConn returns home Tuesday evening to take on the Butler Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs have been rolling, coming off a win against Creighton on the road. Tuesday's contest will be their biggest test to date, however, and there are doubts they can pull off a miraculous upset.

Here's Butler vs. UConn odds and a pick.

The Bulldogs were unconscious from 3-point land against Creighton, connecting on 13-of-22 shots from deep. The offense was firing on all cylinders, but now they have a tall task against the Huskies.

Butler lost to UConn 88-81 on Jan. 5, but it was a much different team then. The Bulldogs' four consecutive wins have propelled them to a 6-5 conference record.

Coach Thad Matta's team is 30th in adjusted offensive efficiency, but there is no question there is a letdown spot brewing for the Bulldogs. After shooting lights out from deep, there is concern they will not be able to break through against UConn.

Guard Pierre Brooks is the key to the game for Butler. There is a good chance UConn guard Cam Spencer matches up with him on defense, and Spencer is not a great defender, so the Bulldogs may run the offense through Brooks. He put up 14 points against Creighton, but should be in line for a larger workload because of the matchup.

UConn opened as significant favorites for a reason, and Butler's offense is in for a tough assignment. The Bulldogs' path to cover is if the Huskies foul a ton and allow them to cash in on an abundance of free-throw attempts.

Two months ago, I was screaming that UConn to win the title at 14-1 was a bargain, despite those who doubt their ability to repeat as champions. The Huskies have been fortunate, according to ShotQuality, but there's no reason they can't win it all.

The performance against St. John's spoke volumes about their scoring depth. They have advantages all over the floor in this one, but specifically inside. Karaban is likely to return for the matchup, but even if he is not 100%, the Huskies should be fine offensively. Big man Donovan Clingan is set for a big day after a quiet afternoon Saturday.

UConn also has a massive rebounding edge in this game, which will limit Butler from getting out in transition on offense. Remember, the Bulldogs gave up 98 points to the Bluejays, so their defense is far from spectacular.

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Despite both teams coming off impressive victories, it's clear the Bulldogs are more susceptible to a letdown. I love the Huskies here.

First off, Butler is bound to get destroyed in the rebounding department. Secondly, the Bulldogs aren't going to shoot 60% from 3-point land again, especially against a strong UConn perimeter defense. Finally, there is more reason to believe the Huskies can overcome their looming offensive regression than the Bulldogs. They are simply a much more talented team.

Even if Karaban sits again, expect UConn to dominate from the opening tip. Its defense comes up big and gets a boost from its home crowd most nights, so I'll happily ride with the market on the matchup.

Pick: UConn -14.5 (Play to -16)