Senior guard Posh Alexander scored 17 points in a loss to Seton Hall on Jan. 13. Photo by Jonathan Wang.
CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu
The men’s basketball team returns to action on Feb. 24 when they take on Seton Hall, looking to snap a three game losing streak. Their most recent loss was to Villanova on Feb. 20 by 10 points, 72-62.
Butler is tied for eighth in the Big East standings with St. John’s as the postseason draws nearer. The Dawgs were not able to pull off the victory last time out against Seton Hall, losing to the Pirates 78-72.
Here is what you need to know as Butler takes on Seton Hall in a pivotal Big East showdown.
Who: Butler vs. Seton Hall
When: Feb. 24, 8:30 p.m.
Where: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
How to watch/listen: FS2, 1430 WXNT
Playing for the full 40 minutes
Butler’s performance in the second half of their past two games has been dismal. The Bulldogs went into halftime of each of those games very much still in the contest, and came out with a lack of effort and looking defeated.
Butler was outscored a combined 73-49 in the second halves of those two games. For a team with such a long tenured coach as Thad Matta, there is no excuse.
This is the vital stretch of the Dawgs’ season that will decide if they get into the NCAA Tournament or not, so there is no room for error. Every game in the Big East is a battle, so Butler must rise to the occasion for the entire game, not just one half of it.
Seton Hall scouting report
The Pirates come into the game with a record of 17-9, and 10-5 in conference play. They are currently fourth in the conference standings.
Seton Hall is led by guards Kadary Richmond and Al-Amir Dawes. That backcourt tandem averages 30.6 points per game collectively.
Richmond, a 6’6” senior, is eighth in the Big East in scoring average with 16.2 points per game. Despite such a high scoring average, the Pirates’ star guard struggles from beyond the three point line, only shooting 20%. In his last matchup against Butler, he had a double-double, pouring in 24 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
Dawes, a 6’2” senior, averages 14.4 points per game. Opposite of Richmond, Dawes is the main three-point threat for the Pirates, shooting 36.4% from beyond the arc. He shoots 40.7% from the field and is also one of the best free-throw shooters in the country, hitting on 92.9% of his attempts. The Bulldogs were able to contain him to 10 points and 0/4 shooting from three last time out.
If Butler is going to win this game, they have to stop Richmond. They can not allow him to get downhill in the paint to find easy high-percentage shots. Dawes will pose an ever-present threat on the three point line, but limiting Richmond has to be priority number one.
