Marquette vs Butler Odds, Pick: Back the Bubble Team?

Butler pulled off an incredible win Saturday afternoon against Providence. The Bulldogs were trailing by five with less than two minutes to play, and Hinkle Fieldhouse was pure pandemonium.

Now, Butler gets a matchup against Marquette on Tuesday evening. Both teams are in potential look-ahead spots, as the Golden Eagles travel to UConn and the Bulldogs host Creighton on Saturday.

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

Shaka Smart's Golden Eagles are rolling. They have won seven consecutive games and have ripped through the Big East.

Many doubted Marquette last month after it suffered losses to Seton Hall and Butler. Now, the Golden Eagles have an opportunity to get revenge on the Bulldogs. But with UConn on deck next, the question will be if Marquette is mentally prepared for this one.

The situational component of the matchup aside, there are advantages on both sides of the floor the Golden Eagles can take advantage of. They enter the matchup top 20 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency.

Guard Tyler Kolek is starting to get in a groove offensively. He dropped 27 points against St. John's on Saturday, shooting 5-of-8 from deep.

But the key for Smart's team lies on the perimeter on the defensive end of the floor. Marquette gives up a ton of shot attempts from beyond the arc, which is why its 3-point defense has been below average. The Golden Eagles' interior defense is slightly better, however, and they'll have the height advantage.

The Bulldogs protect the basketball well, so their defense is up for a challenge. At the end of the day, there are a few questions for Marquette on the defensive side of the ball that will determine this matchup.

Guard Posh Alexander does not have the flashiest statistics, but he is the glue guy for the Bulldogs. Alexander is averaging 11 points, five rebounds and five assists per game, with his play often helping the likes of DJ Davis and Pierre Brooks. Davis and Brooks have been sensational, each shooting above 38% from deep.

On paper, this is a tough matchup for the Bulldogs, but the Golden Eagles are due for negative regression on the defensive end.

Butler does not take a ton of 3s, but given the sketchy Marquette perimeter defense, the Bulldogs may have a reason to fire more from deep. Offensively, Butler will find a way to score. Its defense is bound to be challenged throughout the contest, so the offense will need to be able to keep up.

The Bulldogs are inside the top 100 in defending the triple, but the metrics suggest they have been fortunate in that area. The Golden Eagles are an above-average 3-point shooting team, so we'll see if that hurts Butler.

Both teams are not great at rebounding, so the battle of the boards is another key to the game. Shooting from deep and rebounding are the themes of the matchup, and I give Butler the upper hand.

The Bulldogs may not win the game, but there is plenty of reason to believe they will hang tough. The Golden Eagles have a critical game against the Huskies on Saturday, and you can argue it is the biggest look-ahead spot of the year in the Big East.

I trust Butler's offense to make big shots in the late stages of the game. Brooks and Davis should be in for a big day from beyond the arc, and the Golden Eagles will be asleep at the wheel.

Pick: Butler +3.5 (Play to +2)