Providence vs. Butler Preview, Picks and Prediction, Saturday, December 13, 2025
Use Code WWWC On Saturday, the Providence Friars will play the Butler Bulldogs at Hinkle Fieldhouse, and we have you ready to go with our Providence vs. Butler prediction, odds, and preview. Tip-off from Indianapolis is at 2:00 p.m. ET.
The Friars and Bulldogs met three times last season. The teams split their regular-season matchups, but the Dawgs got the upper hand in the Big East tourney. Providence is 7-3 straight-up (6-4 ATS) in its last ten meetings with Butler. The over was 5-4-1. If you want the Providence vs. Butler prediction, read on to get our top NCAAB predictions and increase your bankroll!
Friars can score in bunches
Providence (7-4 SU, 6-5 ATS, and 8-2-1 O/U) beat Brown 86-79 on Tuesday, failing to cover as 19.5-point spread favorites. The Friars shot 46 percent overall and outrebounded the Bears 44-33, grabbing 13 offensive rebounds. They led by as many as 13 and never trailed in the home win.
Providence was 12-20 last season, including 6-14 in Big East competition. It was a disappointing result, as the Friars went 21-14 the previous season under first-year head coach Kim English. Injuries were a major reason for the underwhelming performance, as Friar players missed a combined 61 games. The 2025-26 squad features five returnees and ten newcomers, and was picked to finish 11th in the Big East's preseason poll.
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The Friars score 90.0 points per game (51st) on 48.8 percent shooting (64th), including 35.8 percent from beyond the arc (102nd). Defensively, Providence allows 82.1 points per game (288th) on 42.6 percent shooting (145th), including 37.8 percent from deep (344th). Senior guard Jason Edwards leads the team in scoring, averaging 18.0 points on 45.0 percent shooting. A few other Friars to watch against Butler are senior guard Jaylin Sellers (15.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG), freshman guard Stefan Vaaks (13.5 PPG and 3.5 APG), and sophomore forward Oswin Erhunmwunse (7.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 3.4 BPG).
Providence Friars Injury Report:
- No new injuries to report.
Butler hits the glass hard
Butler (7-2 SU, 7-2 ATS, and 4-5 O/U) lost 77-68 to Boise State last Saturday, snapping a four-game winning streak. The Bulldogs trailed by only two at halftime, but the Broncos ran away with the lead in the second half. Boise State dominated on the glass (+14 rebounding margin with 16 offensive rebounds) and hit 21 of its 26 foul shots. Butler scored 42 points in the paint, but was inefficient from beyond the arc (4-for-18).
The Bulldogs were 15-20 last season, including 6-14 in conference play. The Bulldogs have a new-look roster this season, as they lost five of their top six scorers. While they are off to a solid start, preseason expectations for the 2025-26 squad were low, as they were picked to finish 10th out of 11 teams in the Big East's preseason poll.
Butler averages 87.7 points per game (91st) on 49.6 percent shooting (44th), including 39.4 percent from beyond the arc (22nd). Defensively, the Bulldogs surrender 72.2 points per game (114th) on 42.0 percent shooting (123rd), including 31.1 percent from deep (117th). Junior guard Finley Bizjack leads the team in scoring, averaging 18.0 points on 49.5 percent shooting. A few other Bulldogs to watch against Providence are senior forward Michael Ajayi (16.2 PPG and 11.6 RPG), sophomore guard Jamie Kaiser Jr. (10.0 PPG and 5.6 RPG), and senior forward Yohan Traore (7.9 PPG).
Butler Bulldogs Injury Report:
- G Jalen Jackson (9.5 PPG and 3.8 APG) is out (ankle).
Providence vs. Butler Pick and Preview
Spread Pick for Providence vs. Butler
- Bulldogs -4.5 (5 Units)
I like Butler to bounce back from its upset loss to Boise State with a resounding victory over Providence. The Bulldogs will be tested at the rim by the Friars, but their offensive rebounding prowess and ability to generate second-chance buckets will be x-factors. They rank 19th nationally in total rebounding percentage, including 14th in offensive rebounding percentage, and are top-30 in both potential quick points off offensive rebounds and second-chance conversion percentage, per Haslametrics. The Bulldogs also get to the free-throw line a lot (9th in FT attempt rate). The Friars will also be very outmatched on the perimeter, where they rank 344th nationally in three-point defense. That's a red flag against a Butler team that shoots a shade under 40 percent from long range.
Providence's high-scoring offense can keep pace for a while, but Butler has too many offensive advantages. Bet on the Bulldogs to cover!
Over/Under Pick for Providence vs. Butler
- Over 169 (5 Units)
Betting Trends: The over is 8-2-1 in Providence's games this season and 21-11 in its last 32 games overall. The Friars have hit their team total over in 23 of their last 32 games, as well. The over is 22-12 in Butler's last 34 games, and the Bulldogs hit their team total over in 24 of those games.
Bettors should anticipate a lot of scoring in Saturday's Big East clash in Indy. Both teams score between 87 and 90 points per game, and are among the fastest-paced teams in the country, ranking 18th (Providence) and 76th (Butler) in schedule-adjusted tempo. They rank 37th and 41st in effective field goal percentage, as well. I expect Butler to score plenty of second-chance buckets off offensive rebounds, with their three-point threats eager to knock down shots. Providence will also pour on the points, making the most of its opportunities at the rim (56th in near-proximity shooting percentage) against a Butler team that allows opponents to take a ton of shots in the paint (363rd in opponent near-proximity shot attempt rate).
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