NCAAB: Eckel picks the Big East — Butler vs Seton Hall, and likes a parlay

Butler at Seton Hall (-5), 6:30 p.m.

Seton Hall (18-7, 10-3) after reaching No. 10 in the polls lost two consecutive games to Xavier and a unacceptable one to Providence. The Pirates, still on top of the Big East, cannot afford a home loss to the Bulldogs (19-7, 7-6) tonight.

Earlier in the season The Hall went to Indiana and knocked off then No. 5-ranked Butler, 78-70, that sent a message the Pirates could be for real. The Bulldogs couldn’t do anything with Player of the Year candidate Myles Powell, who went for 29 that night.

Powell will get his again tonight at The Rock and the Pirates should win, but the line is a little tricky even though Butler is 1-8-1 in its last 10 games against the spread.

The better bet might be to go over the 134.5 total since eight of Seton Hall’s last nine games have topped that number.

The Pick: Seton Hall money line parlayed with the over 134.5