Last Updated on March 20, 2010 12:00 pm by drew
Butler-Murray St. Pick
Two mid-major basketball programs meet for the right two move on to the Sweet Sixteen on Saturday when Butler faces off with Murray State at 3:20PM ET.
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These two teams will battle it out in the West Region with their game taking place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Butler is the No. 5 seed in the region while Murray State is the No. 13 seed.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL have made Buter 4.5-point favorites over Murray State on Saturday afternoon. The over/under for the game has been set at 128.
Butler is seeking its fourth event Sweet Sixteen appearance with a win. It would be the Bulldogs first showing since 2007. Butler defeated No. 12 UTEP 77-59 to reach the second round. The Bulldogs trailed by six at halftime but outscored the Miners 50-26 in the second half. Butler hit 13 3-pointers in the game, shooting 41.9 percent from beyond the arc. Shelvin Mack had 25 points to lead Butler while Gordon Hayward had 13 points and Matt Howard had 11.
Murray State is contending for its first Sweet Sixteen appearance. The Racers won just their second game in tournament history on Thursday, defeating No. 4 Vanderbilt, 66-65 with a buzzer-beater shot by Danero Thomas. Thomas had 11 points and six rebounds in the win while Isaac Miles had 17 points and six boards, and B.J. Jenkins added 14 points and five assists. The Racers hit 7 3-pointers in the contest, shooting 46.7 percent from behind the arc, which led to the victory.
This is a game between two very good programs that people don’t know about. Butler has been one of the best teams in the country all season and Murray State has over 30 wins on the season. Looks for this game to stay close all the way with Butler pulling away for a 6-to-8 point win in the end.
Our NCAA Tournament Free Pick for this matchup is: BUTLER -4.5 and OVER 128
March Madness Betting Trends
Murray State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Butler is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
March Madness Injury Report
BUTLER
No Injuries Reported
MURRAY ST
[F] 03/18/2010 – Picasso Simmons missed last game, "?" Saturday vs. Butler ( Personal )
March Madness Game Odds
Butler Bulldogs -4.5 Over 128
Murray State Racers +4.5 Under 128
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Posted: 3/20/10 12:00PM ET