Fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort and graduate forward Patrick McCaffery celebrate during the Seton Hall win on Jan. 15. Photo by Andrew Buckley.
SARAH HOHMAN | MANAGING EDITOR | shohman@butler.edu
The Dawgs look to take the court again after snapping a nine-game losing streak with a win over Seton Hall. In Butler’s first Big East win, the Bulldogs did just enough on both sides of the ball to secure the 82-77 victory and improve their record to 8-10.
Head coach Thad Matta introduced a new lineup change, as sophomore center Boden Kapke made his first starting appearance. This showed Matta’s willingness to shake things up with a struggling team.
Here’s what you need to know about Butler’s tough matchup against No. 19 UConn.
Who: Butler at UConn
When: Jan. 21, 7 p.m.
Where: XL Center
How to watch: FS1
Strong start and consistency
Can Butler keep up with the big dogs? The Bulldogs were in their last matchup with the Huskies until the final minute, losing 78-74. The Dawgs had to claw their way out of a 25-9 deficit as UConn made 10 of their first 13 attempts. To keep this one close and attainable, Butler has to come out strong out of the gate.
The entire team has to do their job, but a few players need to stand out. Fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort has been Butler’s consistent star this season. The forward leads Butler in scoring, assists and steals.
Fifth-year center Andre Screen had a huge game against Seton Hall, putting up 16 points and five rebounds. Against the Huskies, Screen led the Bulldogs with a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double. When Screen succeeds, Butler seems to find success.
Scouting report
The Huskies’ 28-game winning streak at home broke on Saturday as Creighton toughed out a back-and-forth game 68-63. UConn star Alex Karaban was held to eight points on 3-12 shooting.
Karaban leads the Huskies with 15.6 points per game and is hitting 42% of his three-point attempts. The forward led the Huskies with 21 points when they beat the Dawgs on Dec. 21.
The Dawgs have to control Karaban in order to have a shot at an upset, especially on the road. If Butler can keep up their momentum and steal this game, it will certainly be a statement win.