NCAAB · Final

Butler Bulldogs Edge Xavier Musketeers in Close Contest

Saturday, February 21, 2026, 1:30 PM ET · Hinkle Fieldhouse

Butler Bulldogs 80, Xavier Musketeers 75, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

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Quick answers

Who won Xavier Musketeers vs Butler Bulldogs?

Butler Bulldogs beat Xavier Musketeers 80-75 at Hinkle Fieldhouse on February 21, 2026.

Who was favored in Xavier Musketeers vs Butler Bulldogs?

Butler Bulldogs were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -192 (about 66% implied). The favorite won.

The Butler Bulldogs secured a narrow victory over the Xavier Musketeers, finishing the game with a score of 80-75 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. This matchup was particularly noteworthy as Butler had been struggling in recent weeks, while Xavier was looking to improve their record. The win marked a crucial moment for Butler, who had not won against Xavier in their last three encounters, including a loss earlier this season on January 14, when they fell 75-89.

Butler entered the game with a record of 15-13, having gone 4-6 in their last ten games. They were on a one-game winning streak, having defeated the Georgetown Hoyas 93-89 in their previous outing. Over those last ten games, Butler averaged 74.6 points scored per game while allowing 79.0 points. Their recent form at home showed a record of 2-3, with an average of 72.2 points scored and 79.8 points allowed in their last five games.

On the other hand, the Xavier Musketeers had a record of 13-14 and were also 4-6 in their last ten games, but they were on a one-game losing streak after losing to the Villanova Wildcats 89-92. The Musketeers averaged 82.5 points scored per game while allowing 85.2 points during that same stretch. Their away record was particularly concerning, as they had lost all four of their last away games, with an average of 79.0 points scored and 85.0 points allowed in their last five.

The Bulldogs' home performance was crucial in this matchup, as they aimed to capitalize on their home court advantage. The conditions at Hinkle Fieldhouse were conducive to a competitive game, and Butler's ability to perform well at home was a key factor in their victory. The market had set the odds with Butler favored by 4.5 points according to DraftKings, indicating a close contest was expected. The total points line was set at 159.5, reflecting the scoring potential of both teams.

In terms of injuries, there were no specific mentions in the block that would significantly impact either team's performance. However, both teams had experienced ups and downs throughout the season, which could have affected their overall strategies and player utilization.

The game featured several critical scoring plays in the second half, showcasing the back-and-forth nature of the contest. Notably, Jovan Milicevic hit a crucial 29-foot three-point jumper to bring the score to 75-71 in favor of Butler. This was followed by a driving layup from All Wright, narrowing the gap to 75-73. Yohan Traore contributed with two free throws, extending Butler's lead to 77-73. The Musketeers continued to fight back, with Milicevic scoring again, but Butler maintained their composure and finished strong with free throws from Finley Bizjack, sealing the victory at 80-75.

Overall, this game was significant for Butler as they not only broke their losing streak against Xavier but also improved their standing as they head towards the end of the season. The victory at home was a much-needed boost for the Bulldogs, who will look to build on this success in their upcoming games.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	BTLR -4.5	159.5 o -112 / u -108	Xavier Musketeers +160 · Butler Bulldogs -192

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsMichael Ajayi24Butler Bulldogs
AssistsDrayton Jones3Butler Bulldogs
ReboundsMichael Ajayi9Butler Bulldogs
PointsTre Carroll24Xavier Musketeers
AssistsTre Carroll4Xavier Musketeers
ReboundsFilip Borovicanin10Xavier Musketeers

Recent form

Butler Bulldogs

Last 10: 4-6Streak W174.6 scored · 79 allowed per game2-3 at home

W93-89at Georgetown HoyasFeb 18
L56-63vs Seton Hall PiratesFeb 15
L70-80vs UConn HuskiesFeb 12
L55-70at Marquette Golden EaglesFeb 7
L87-97at Providence FriarsFeb 5
L64-77vs Georgetown HoyasJan 31
L70-92at St. John's Red StormJan 29
W87-76vs Marquette Golden EaglesJan 24
W87-80vs DePaul Blue DemonsJan 21
W77-66at Seton Hall PiratesJan 17

Xavier Musketeers

Last 10: 4-6Streak L182.5 scored · 85.2 allowed per game0-4 away

L89-92vs Villanova WildcatsFeb 17
W96-88vs Marquette Golden EaglesFeb 14
L82-87at St. John's Red StormFeb 9
L60-92at UConn HuskiesFeb 4
W68-66vs DePaul Blue DemonsJan 31
L68-86at Seton Hall PiratesJan 29
L83-88vs St. John's Red StormJan 24
L93-94at Creighton BluejaysJan 22
W89-75vs Butler BulldogsJan 14
W97-84vs Providence FriarsJan 10

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
St. John's	30-7	-	18-2
UConn	34-6	1	17-3
Villanova	24-9	3	15-5
Seton Hall	21-12	8	10-10
Creighton	16-18	9	9-11
DePaul	16-16	10	8-12
Butler	16-16	11	7-13
Providence	15-18	11	7-13
Marquette	12-20	11	7-13
Georgetown	16-18	12	6-14
Xavier	15-18	12	6-14

Box score

Stat	Xavier Musketeers	Butler Bulldogs
Field goals	28-63	26-55
Field goal %	44	47
Three-pointers	10-32	3-11
Three-point %	31	27
Free throws	9-11	25-33
Free throw %	82	76
Rebounds	32	35
Offensive rebounds	8	8
Defensive rebounds	24	27
Assists	13	14
Steals	3	2
Blocks	4	2
Turnovers	7	6
Team turnovers	1	1
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	2	6
Fast-break points	7	7
Points in the paint	30	44
Fouls	21	8
Largest lead	0	21
Lead changes	0	0
Time in front	0	98

How the scoring went

2nd Half36-50Yohan Traore makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half38-50Tre Carroll makes 5-foot turnaround jump shot
2nd Half38-52Yohan Traore makes 4-foot dunk (Michael Ajayi assists)
2nd Half40-52Malik Messina-Moore makes 14-foot step back jumpshot
2nd Half40-53Yohan Traore makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half40-55Yohan Traore makes 0-foot tip in layup
2nd Half42-55Filip Borovicanin makes layup
2nd Half42-57Finley Bizjack makes 7-foot floating jump shot
2nd Half44-57Malik Messina-Moore makes 16-foot turnaround jump shot
2nd Half46-57Roddie Anderson III makes driving layup
2nd Half47-57Malik Messina-Moore makes free throw 1 of 3
2nd Half48-57Malik Messina-Moore makes free throw 2 of 3
2nd Half49-57Malik Messina-Moore makes free throw 3 of 3
2nd Half49-59Yohan Traore makes 2-foot dunk (Jackson Keith assists)
2nd Half49-61Michael Ajayi makes 2-foot dunk (Yohan Traore assists)
2nd Half52-61Tre Carroll makes 27-foot three pointer
2nd Half52-63Michael Ajayi makes layup (Yame Butler assists)
2nd Half55-63All Wright makes 26-foot three point jumper (Tre Carroll assists)
2nd Half58-63Tre Carroll makes 28-foot three pointer (Malik Messina-Moore assists)
2nd Half58-65Finley Bizjack makes driving layup
2nd Half58-67Michael Ajayi makes driving layup
2nd Half61-67Tre Carroll makes 27-foot three point jumper
2nd Half61-69Michael Ajayi makes 10-foot floating jump shot
2nd Half62-69Jovan Milicevic makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half63-69Jovan Milicevic makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half64-69Malik Messina-Moore makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half64-72Jamie Kaiser Jr. makes 27-foot three point jumper (Drayton Jones assists)
2nd Half66-72Tre Carroll makes 17-foot turnaround jump shot
2nd Half66-73Finley Bizjack makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half66-74Finley Bizjack makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half68-74Malik Messina-Moore makes driving layup
2nd Half68-75Michael Ajayi makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half71-75Jovan Milicevic makes 29-foot three point jumper (Malik Messina-Moore assists)
2nd Half73-75All Wright makes driving layup
2nd Half73-76Yohan Traore makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half73-77Yohan Traore makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half75-77Jovan Milicevic makes layup (Tre Carroll assists)
2nd Half75-78Finley Bizjack makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half75-79Finley Bizjack makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half75-80Finley Bizjack makes free throw 2 of 2