Western Michigan vs Butler Prediction College Basketball Picks 11/11/24

The Western Michigan Broncos are visiting the Butler Bulldogs on Monday, November 11th at the Hinkle Fieldhouse. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Western Michigan Broncos vs. Butler Bulldogs Prediction.

Butler Bulldogs Preview

The Butler Bulldogs finished last season with an 18-15 record, placing 8th in the Big East with a 9-11 conference record. At home, they boasted a strong 12-6 record, while they struggled on the road with 4-7. The Bulldogs were 14-16 against the spread and 13-15-2 in over/under. Butler is 1-1 this season but failed to cover the spread in both games. Offensively, they average 69 points per game, ranking just 286th in the nation, while defensively they allow 66.5 points per game, which is 136th.

The Bulldogs are coming off a road loss by Austin Peay, 66-68. Butler failed to cover the -17-point spread and the game went under the 147.5-point total. Butler did not shoot the ball very well, with just 43% from the field and 28% from downtown, and committed twice as many turnovers than Austin Peay (14-7). Patrik McCaffery led Butler’s offense with 23 points with 5 triples and a team-high 8 rebounds.

Senior guard Jahmyl Telfort leads Butler in scoring this season with 18.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, while Patrik McCaffery adds 17 points and 5.5 rebounds.

Western Michigan Broncos Preview

The Western Michigan Broncos are coming off a 12-20 season, finishing 6th in the MAC with a 9-9 conference record. Western Michigan had a balanced 7-7 home record but were terrible on the road with a 3-12 record. The Broncos were 17-13 against the spread and 14-16 in over/under.

In their season opener on Monday, the Broncos lost on the road to Coastal Carolina, 56-60. Western Michigan managed to push the +4-point spread and the game went under the 141-point total. The Broncos had a terrible shooting game, making just 35% from the field, 20% from beyond the arc, and 61% from the free-throw line.

Owen Lobsinger and Javaughn Hannah combined for 6-27 shots from the field, with Lobsinger making just 1-9 from downtown. Donovan Williams and Markhi Strickland led the Broncos’ offense with 13 points apiece. Western Michigan will play against SIU Edwardsville, Canisius, South Dakota, and Youngstown State following this one.

Why the Butler Bulldogs will win

• Western Michigan has lost each of its last 11 road games against non-conference opponents.
• Butler has won 71 of its last 75 games against non-conference opponents at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
• Western Michigan has lost the first half in each of its last 10 road games against non-conference opponents.

Why the Western Michigan Broncos will win

• Butler has lost seven of its last nine night games.

Western Michigan Broncos vs Butler Bulldogs Prediction

In their only previous meeting in 2020, Butler won at home, 66-62. In this Western Michigan Broncos vs. Butler Bulldogs Prediction, Butler is coming as nih -an 18.5-point home favorite. Butler is projected as #103 in the nation this season, while Western Michigan is projected as a bottom-50 team, at #311. Both teams are coming off extremely low-scoring games, with 134 and 116 total points. Their previous meeting was also a low-scoring one with 128 total points, so there is no reason to think that there will be fireworks in this one. Keep it simple and take the under. 

Nikos Lagouretos's Pick: Under 147.5