Butler Bulldogs at Wisconsin Green Bay Phoenix Betting Preview

Opening Line: Butler -8 / Green Bay +8 O/U 130.5

Time: 9 PM EST Friday January 29, 2010 on ESPNU

Tonight in a Horizon conference match up the Wisconsin Green Bay Phoenix host the 18th ranked Butler Bulldogs. Butler is undefeated in Horizon play and has won 8 games in a row while Green Bay has 3 conference losses, trails Butler by 2.5 games in the conference, but have won 4 of their last 5 games. The Phoenix really need to win this game to have any chance to catch Butler, as if they do not it is a long shot that they will get an invite to the Big Dance.

This season Green Bay is 7-2 at home and 7-9 ATS and Butler is 7-1 on the road and 8-12 ATS.

In their last games Green Bay beat Youngstown State 69-55 on Sunday and Butler crushed Illinois-Chicago 84-55 on Saturday.

Butler wins with their solid defense, as they are only giving up an average of 61.7 ppg.

Butler does have a legit inside-outside game with leading scorer G/F Gordon Hayward (16.1 ppg), G Shelvin Mack (15.3 ppg), and F Matt Howard (10.8 ppg).

Green Bay does not have a well-balanced offense like Butler does, but they have a stellar backcourt with the guard trio of Rahmon Fletcher (16.4 ppg), Bryquis Perine (13.7 ppg), and Troy Cotton (12.9 ppg).

Butler has a better frontcourt and there is a lot of pressure on Green Bay F Randy Berry (7.7 rpg). He is the only Phoenix player that is averaging over 4 boards per game. He has to keep Gordon Hayward (8.2 rpg) and Matt Howard (5.2 rpg) off the boards, but that is easier said than done, as Berry will not get much help in the lane.

If Hayward and Howard can play solid inside by scoring easy buckets and dominating the boards Butler will be very hard to beat.

The Bulldogs have to play good perimeter defense tonight, as they cannot let Green Bay to bomb away from deep. Having a solid shooting night from downtown may be the only way that Green bay can pull off the upset tonight.

Green Bay is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a home underdog, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning record, and the total has gone Over in 4 of their last 5 games when playing at home against teams with a winning record.

Butler is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record, 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite of 7.0-12.5, and the total has gone Under in 5 of their last 6 games as a road favorite.

Our Selection : The Bulldogs did crush the Phoenix in their last meeting 72- 49, but Wisc-Green Bay is a different team at home. They're 5-0 at home versus conference opponents, have revenge on their minds and are 3-1-1 ATS in last 5 against Butler.

Take the Phoenix +8