Virginia cruised to a spot in the Round of 32 after a lopsided win over Hampton Thursday. (Getty)
Virginia is very good at this whole playing defense part of basketball.
The Cavaliers gave up just 45 points in their first round victory over Hampton on Thursday and now UVA’s shut down defense turns its collective attention to Butler.
This, however, is a totally different ball game.
This is a Butler team that scored 71 points in its NCAA Tournament opener and boasts a sneaky good backcourt that is more than capable of putting the ball in the basket.
Still, Virginia comes into Saturday’s tilt as the odds-on favorite, via OddsShark. Read on to check out a complete breakdown of the entire game:
Virginia vs. Butler Betting Info
Spread: Virginia – 7
Over/Under: 132
Moneyline: Virginia – 313
Virginia has become an odds-dream this season.
The Cavaliers are 6-1 ATS & SU in their last seven games, but, more importantly, they’re also consistently strong on defense. That’s why the total has gone UNDER in 12 of the squad’s last 14 games. If UVA can set the tempo of this game, that tempo is going to be slow. It is going to be controlled. It is going to be incredibly low-scoring.
One more thing. The Cavs have gone 4-0 ATS in their last four as favorites of seven-plus points.
On the flip side, Butler isn’t all that bad either. Sure, the Bulldogs struggled against the upper echelon of the Big East this season, but they’re also 6-1 ATS in their last seven and 4-1 SU in their last five.
Here’s another fun little tidbit; going back to 2010, Butler has gone 13-2 ATS in their last 15 NCAA Tournament games.