Halftime Report

Only one more half stands between Butler and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have jumped out to a quick 37-31 lead against Merrimack.

If Butler keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 4-1 in no time. On the other hand, Merrimack will have to make due with a 1-4 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

Merrimack Warriors @ Butler Bulldogs

Current Records: Merrimack 1-3, Butler 3-1

How To Watch

  • When: Friday, November 22, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse -- Indianapolis, Indiana
  • TV: Fox Sports 2
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
  • Ticket Cost: $2.51

What to Know

The Butler Bulldogs' homestand will continue as they prepare to take on the Merrimack Warriors at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Coming in fresh off a victory as the underdog, the Bulldogs will stroll into this one as the favorite.

Last Friday, Butler earned an 81-70 win over SMU. With that victory, the Bulldogs brought their scoring average up to 76 points per game.

Butler's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jahmyl Telfort, who scored 19 points in addition to six rebounds and five assists. Telfort's performance made up for a slower contest against Western Michigan last Monday. The team also got some help courtesy of Kolby King, who went 5 for 6 en route to 14 points.

Butler smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've posted since back in January.

Meanwhile, Merrimack's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Wednesday after their third straight loss. They fell 74-63 to Rutgers. That's two games in a row now that the Warriors have lost by exactly 11 points.

Merrimack's defeat came about despite a quality game from Adam Clark, who had 22 points in addition to six assists. The dominant performance gave Clark a new career-high in assists. Devon Savage, on the other hand, was considerably less helpful: he went 0-5 from long range.

Butler's victory bumped their record up to 3-1. As for Merrimack, their loss dropped their record down to 1-3.

Odds

Butler is a big 11.5-point favorite against Merrimack, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 11.5-point spread, and stayed right there.


The over/under is 135 points.

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