It's a funny matchup tonight (7:00 pm EST, CBSSN) between #18 Creighton (19-4, 9-2) and Butler (12-12, 2-10). The two play a fairly similar spread and shoot offense, though Butler tends to drive more often (139 3 ptm to Creighton's 242). Neither is overwhelmingly athletic; one has maybe the best college basketball player in the country, Doug McDermott.

If basketball purists prefer polished scorers (flawless shooting form and a knowledge of low post positioning included) prescient enough to understand the benefits of the pass but assertive enough to score when necessary, then McDermott is their man -- and, by default, so is Dirk Nowitzki. Missing only from the two-time All American's game is an explosive first step (it's effective enough for college basketball and I think it will suffice in the NBA). Still, no one's been able to guard him this year, which is why he's averaging a career high 25 ppg on an efficient 50 percent shooting. (He actually shot 54 and 60 percent over the last two years from the field, but that's what happens when you add 2-3 more points per game to your scoring average.)

Luckily for fans of suspense and surprise endings, the game will be played at Butler tonight. They're only 8 point underdogs, which means Vegas envisions at least a respectable showing from a team that's lost its last three games by seven points or more. Creighton, for their part, lost their last game to a streaking St. John's team, 70-65. Prior to that they'd been holding off opponents rather easily besides a three-point win against the Red Storm on Jan. 28 and a 13-point loss to Providence on Jan. 18.

I'll be rooting for a big win by the Blue Jays tonight only to add weight to their Sunday evening showdown on their home floor against my #6 Villanova Wildcats (22-2, 10-1) -- and to add value to my impending $100 bet. The Wildcats already won big last night. Expect Creighton to follow suit.

For live stream, try stream2watch.me

Record: 15-19 (won last three)

Butler @ Creighton: L (picked Butler, +10.5)

UConn @ Memphis: L (picked Memphis, -7.5)

Depaul @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -17.5)

Pittsburg @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -5.5)

Creighton @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)

Baylor @ Kansas: W (picked Baylor, + 10.5)

Indiana @ Michigan State: L (picked Michigan State, -12)

Iowa @ Michigan: L (picked Iowa, + 1.5)

Colorado @ Arizona: W (picked Colorado, + 14.5)

Illinois @ Ohio State: W (picked Illinois, + 11)

Michigan @ Michigan State: W (picked Michigan, + 4.5)

Villanova @ Marquette: W (picked Villanova, -3)

Utah @ Arizona: W (picked Utah, + 15)

Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State: W (picked Oklahoma, + 4.5)

Villanova @ Georgetown: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)

Michigan State @ Iowa: W (picked Michigan State, + 5)

St. John's @ Creighton: W (picked St. John's, + 12)

Iowa State @ Kansas: L (picked Iowa State, + 8.5)

Syracuse @ Wake Forest: L (picked Syracuse, -10)

Purdue @ Michigan: L (picked Michigan, -12)

Florida @ Mississippi State: W (picked Miss. State, + 15)

Duke @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -3)

Xavier @ Villanova: L (picked Xavier, + 10)

Nebraska @ Michigan: L (picked Nebraska, + 13)

Boston College @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -13)

Oregon @ Arizona: L (picked Arizona, -11)

Oklahamo State @ Texas Tech: W (picked Texas Tech, + 6.5)

West Virginia @ Kansas: L (picked WVU, + 14)

Maryland @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -11)

Iowa State @ West Virginia: L (picked Iowa State, - 1.5)

Michigan @ Ohio State: L (picked Ohio State, -3.5)

Florida @ Tennessee: W (picked Florida, - 1.5)

Syracuse @ Pittsburg: W (picked Syracuse, + 2.5 -- absurd line)

Villanova @ Depaul: W (picked Villanova, -14)