- Matchup: Northwestern Wildcats vs Butler Bulldogs
- Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025
- Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
- Broadcast: ESPN+
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This showdown will see the Butler Bulldogs (8-3) face off against the Northwestern Wildcats (7-4) at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse this Saturday.
The Northwestern Wildcats recently triumphed over Valparaiso with an impressive 86-70 win. During the game, the Wildcats committed 15 fouls compared to Valparaiso’s 19. Northwestern was able to capitalize on 6 of their 19 three-point attempts. Valparaiso managed to sink 16 of their 22 free throw attempts for a 72.7% success rate. The Bulldogs grabbed a total of 27 rebounds (10 offensive and 17 defensive) but did not record any blocks. They also provided 12 assists and had 6 steals during the match. Defensively, Northwestern allowed their opponents to shoot 44.4% from the field, permitting 24 of 54 shots to go in. The Wildcats recorded 17 assists, forced 13 turnovers, and had 6 steals, alongside 31 total rebounds with 10 on the offensive end. From the free throw line, they converted 15 out of 22 attempts at a rate of 68.2%. Northwestern concluded the game shooting 54.1% overall (33 of 61) and made only 5 of their 21 three-point efforts.
Nick Martinelli stood out in this contest, shooting a remarkable 63.2% from the field while registering 1 assist. In 30 minutes of play, he secured 6 rebounds and amassed 29 points from 12 of 19 shooting.
Entering this contest, Northwestern holds a season record of 7-4. The team averages 82.6 points per game, ranking them 94th in Division I, with a shooting percentage of 50.5%. They are hitting 33.3% of their three-point attempts (71 of 213) and 74.2% from the free throw line. On average, they collect 34.6 rebounds per game and have tallied 203 assists, placing them 37th in Division I for assists. The Wildcats turn the ball over 9.5 times per game and commit 18.2 fouls per match.
Defensively, they force 11.8 turnovers each game while drawing 19.7 fouls. Opponents are shooting 28.8% from beyond the arc against them, and they rank 130th in points allowed per game at 71.0. Northwestern allows a field goal percentage of 40.6% (268 of 660) and surrenders an average of 33.7 rebounds per game. They rank 263rd in the nation for the assists given up, with a total of 161 for the season.
In their most recent game, the Butler Bulldogs fell to Connecticut, losing 79-60. On the rebounding front, Butler allowed Connecticut to claim 43 rebounds (12 offensive). They shot 35.0% from beyond the arc (7 of 20) and 61.5% from the free throw line (8 of 13). Connecticut was effective, making 32 of 63 field goals for a shooting rate of 50.8%. Butler struggled, hitting only 18 of 61 from the floor (29.5%) and converting 5 of 24 three-point attempts (20.8%). However, they managed to hit 19 of their free throw attempts for a solid success rate of 79.2%. Connecticut committed 21 fouls in the game, leading to a total of 24 free throw attempts for Butler. The Bulldogs had 10 turnovers but earned 8 steals. In total, Butler secured 27 rebounds, with 16 on the defensive end and 11 offensive boards.
Drayton Jones was instrumental for the Bulldogs in this matchup. He shot 3 of 5, achieving a field goal rate of 60.0%, and tallied 5 rebounds. He finished with 13 points during 24 minutes of play and added 1 assist to his stats.
Butler currently maintains an 8-3 record this season. In terms of offensive output, the Bulldogs shoot 47.6% from the field, ranking them 93rd in college basketball. The team has amassed 961 points on the season, averaging 87.4 points per game, and they pull down 42.1 rebounds on average. They dish out assists 16.9 times per game, placing them 65th in the nation, with 11.8 turnovers per game. Butler commits 15.4 personal fouls per match and registers a free throw percentage of 67.3%.
Defensively, Butler allows opponents to shoot 32.5% from three-point range (76 of 234), and they concede 71.2% on free throw attempts. They allow an average of 13.5 assists and 35.1 rebounds per contest, ranking them 189th and 206th in college basketball. Butler ranks 252nd in points allowed per game, giving up 76.3 points, and they force 12.1 turnovers while allowing teams to shoot 43.4% from the field, which is 183rd in college hoops.
Which team will prevail in tonight’s NCAA game against the spread?
Prediction: Take Butler
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