Craig Davis
Tuesday's Lineup
25 Dime --- BUTLER BULLDOGS

So far, this is the best college basketball game I've seen since the season started for two reasons. First, I think the line is just low enough for a neutral site game that it's begging you to take Georgetown. Secondly, while Butler has been busy playing teams like Clemson, Minnesota, UCLA and Northwestern (all from big conferences), Georgetown has been beating up on American U, Mount Saint Mary's (no, not the good St. Mary's), Lafayette, and Savannah State.

It's pretty simple if you ask me... the Hoyas have yet to be really challenged. The only legitimate competition they've had thus far has been Temple, a game in which they won 46-45 as a 10-point favorite. They couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in that game and if Temple had been able to shoot even 34% in that game, they would have walked out of the Verizon Center as a winner. Georgetown, when actually faced with a team that had a pulse, was taken to the wire and was forced to play poorly enough to lose. The Hoyas shot just 35% from the field, 16% from three-point land, and 65% from the free throw line in that game, and I believe that's what will happen to this offense when they play a legitimate, ranked opponent like Butler tonight.

The Bulldogs come in off just their second home game of the season, having beaten both Davidson and Valpo rather handily. The rest of their games have been either road games or neutral site games, and the competition they've faced has been murderous compared to Georgetown's. A one-point loss to a very good Clemson team that will challenge Duke, Wake, and UNC for the ACC title. A two-point win over a struggling, yet respectable UCLA squad with a ton of potential, and a very good Minnesota team that will finish in the top 5 of the emerging Big 10 Conference. Their three true road games were all wins... over Northwestern, Ball State and Evansville.

When you compare these two schedules, it's not even close. Georgetown hasn't even really been challenged all season, having played four straight non-lined games since November 21st. You can call that smart scheduling if you'd like, but I call it setting this team up for failure. Butler is already battle-tested... Georgetown is not. This game could easily come down to a battle at the line, and my money is all over the Butler Bulldogs who shoot 75% from the stripe as opposed to Georgetown's 67% (50% away from home).

Butler returns every single player from last year's team that won the Horizon Conference, including Conference Player of the Year Matt Howard. Howard averaged 15 points and 7 rebounds per game last year, but he knows he doesn't have to do it himself. The Bulldogs had four players in double figures in their last win including sophomore F Gordon Hayward (13 PPG last year) and sophomore G Shelvin Mack (12 PPG last year). This team is deep, experienced, and very disciplined... it's no surprise they are picked to win the conference again this year, and it's definitely not a surprise we find them in the top 25.

The wrong team is favored here boys... the wrong team is favored. Bulldogs by 5-7 easily.

Anyone know what happened to Erhan's blog???