Fifth-year center Andre Screen helped lead the Dawgs to a win with 16 points and five rebounds. Photo by Andrew Buckley.
SARAH HOHMAN | MANAGING EDITOR | shohman@butler.edu
Butler men’s basketball picked up their first Big East win against Seton Hall on Jan. 15 to improve to 8-10.
Head coach Thad Matta tried a new starting five with junior guard Kolby King, senior guard Pierre Brooks, fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort, redshirt senior forward Patrick McCaffery and sophomore forward Boden Kapke. It was Kapke’s first collegiate start.
“Since we’re down in numbers, we are trying different things,” Matta said. “As you see, we are subbing a lot more often and trying to get guys rest whenever we possibly can. I thought [Kapke] played really well the other night, so we thought to start with a change here.”
The Dawgs started the game hotter on the offensive side of the ball than in recent games, especially from the field. Butler was able to shoot 50% from the field in the first half, giving them a 41-35 lead.
The Bulldogs had a 13-point lead with 10 minutes left in the second half but struggled to close out the game once again. A McCaffery layup and strong defense sealed Butler’s first win in 43 days.
“It feels amazing,” Brooks said. “We’ve been working hard every practice, focusing on the little things, getting details corrected … It really came through tonight. We played as a team. We played together. When things got going against us in the second half, we stayed composed. I’m really proud of our team.”
In Butler’s first win in 2025, let’s go beyond the box score.
Ball movement
Unselfish basketball was the name of the game for the Dawgs tonight. Whether it was sophomore guard Finley Bizjack finding Screen down low or King finding Brooks in the corner, Butler had the ball on the move.
The Bulldogs had 17 assists and only eight turnovers. If the Bulldogs can keep playing clean basketball while also improving their shot selection, they have a chance to show their potential on the floor.
Winning basketball
A key storyline in the second half was fifth-year center Andre Screen off the Bulldog bench. The 7-foot center used his size against the Pirates to collect 16 points and five rebounds. Screen talked about what led to the Dawgs’ success on the night.
“Winning is in the details and today we did that,” Screen said. “Last practice was a great practice. We need to continue to have great practices, continue to get better and that will lead us to play more consistently in the first and second halves.”
Butler has the chance to prove they can be a consistent basketball team starting on Tuesday against UConn. The 13-4 Huskies will be a tough task for this Bulldog team, but an upset is just what Butler needs to stand a chance this season.
