Senior Jahmyl Telfort had 17 points in the win over Georgetown on Jan. 23. Photo by Andrew Buckley.

CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu

The men’s basketball team looks to win their third straight game Jan. 27 in a matchup against Villanova. Butler moved to 13-7 on the season after routing Georgetown away from home. 

The Bulldogs are ninth in the Big East standings despite winning their last two games. Villanova on the other hand has lost three straight, dropping their record to 11-8. 

The Dawgs now take aim at the Wildcats, trying to move up the standings and stack victories. 

Here’s what you need to know as Butler takes on Villanova.

Who: Butler vs. Villanova

When: Jan. 27, 3 p.m.

Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse

How to watch/listen: FS1, WXNT 1430 AM

Consistent offensive performance 

Butler’s offense exploded last game against Georgetown on the way to a huge 90-66 victory. The Dawgs shot 56.9% from the field, their second best shooting performance all season.

Pierre Brooks led the scoring with 20 points, but he was not alone. All five of Butler’s starters scored double digits, paving the way for the huge offensive day. Jahmyl Telfort even got back on track after a rough start to the Big East campaign, dropping 17 points.

Brooks and Posh Alexander have been the scoring frontrunners so far this season, with some big performances from the other three starters as well. Last time out against Georgetown was the first time it seemed like all five starters were hitting consistently since the start of Big East play. 

If the Bulldogs can get a grasp on that kind of consistency from every player, they can become a dangerous team very fast. With offensive output like that, the Dawgs will shoot up the standings in a flash. 

Obviously not every game is going to go as well on offense for Butler, but it is a good sign going into the matchup with the Wildcats. Villanova is a tough team, and the Bulldogs will have to make shots consistently to beat them in Hinkle. 

Villanova scouting report 

The Wildcats have an 11-8 record and are 4-4 in Big East play. Despite having a worse overall record than Butler, Villanova is seventh in the conference standings. 

The Wildcats’ main threat is senior Eric Dixon. The 6’8” forward averages 15.0 points per game on 45.8% shooting. Dixon is a combination of size and shooting ability. Despite his large frame, he hits on 33.8% of his shots from beyond the arc, making him a nightmare to guard on the offensive end. Both Telfort and Brooks are going to have their hands full all night on the defensive end.

Another contributor for Villanova is graduate Justin Moore. The 6’5” guard averages 11.6 points per game on 40.9% shooting. Moore is an excellent free throw shooter, hitting on 96.7% of his attempts from the charity stripe. He is not afraid to shoot from deep, but he has struggled this season from beyond the arc. Alexander will be up to the task on defense, but the height difference could be a factor.

Villanova will be looking to get back to winning ways, while Butler will try to stack another win and put a run together. Regardless of rank or record, when the Wildcats visit Hinkle it is always a big game.