ESPN’s bracket Buster event continues early Saturday morning with what could be the crown jewel of the entire 49-game list, as Siena visits Butler. Both teams expect to be in the NCAA tournament, and both are capable of making a run once there. For this m

2010-02-19

ESPN’s bracket Buster event continues early Saturday morning with what could be the crown jewel of the entire 49-game list, as Siena visits Butler. Both teams expect to be in the NCAA tournament, and both are capable of making a run once there. For this matchup, Butler is the home team and the preferred choice of oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com.

Veteran basketball observers will tell you that the difference between Butler and Siena is location, Indianapolis and historic Hinkle Fieldhouse vs. Loudonville, N.Y. The Saints (22-5, 14-9-2 ATS) have strung together four straight 20-win seasons and earns nationally televised cable contest against ranked opponent. "It's a great opportunity for our program," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. The Saints have a great deal of depth, but pay particular attention to forward Alex Franklin and guard Ronald Moore. Siena is 17-7 ATS in road games after a trio of favorite roles.

It’s a rare occasion when Butler (24-4, 11-17 ATS) is out of Horizon League play in a televised tilt with the opposing team having more to gain with a victory. That is the case in this matchup, with the Bulldogs being the hunted team. A solid win against a team like Siena carries positives, as they have good RPI numbers and are highly thought of in basketball circles, which could improve Butler’s seeding in the middle of March. If you have missed the Bulldogs, keep a watchful eye on forward Gordon Hayward (NBA potential), Matt Howard and point guard Shelvin Mack who runs the show. The marquee matchup of Bracket Buster Saturday has Butler 12-0 at home but sporting just a 4-8 ATS mark.

The StatFox Power Ratings & Outplay Factor Ratings indicate Butler should be favored by 5 & 8 points, respectively.

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