Senior forward Jahmyl Telfort scored 24 points to help beat Providence on Feb. 8. Photo by Jada Gangazha.
DAVID JACOBS | SPORTS CO-EDITOR | drjacobs@butler.edu
The men’s basketball team heads to New York City on March 12 to take on Providence in the first round of the Big East Tournament.
In the two regular season clashes against the Friars, each team won at their respective home courts. Butler most recently got an 82-81 win over Providence on Feb. 8 thanks to late-game buckets from all-conference senior forward Jahmyl Telfort.
Here is what you need to know as the Bulldogs look to keep their NCAA tournament hopes alive against the Friars:
Who: Butler vs. Providence
When: March 12, 4 p.m.
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to watch: Peacock
Post-Season Hopes Dwindling
Once upon a time Butler was a beloved staple of March Madness, making 10 tournaments in a 12-year span — including its back-to-back championship appearances. However, with the Dawgs approaching nearly eight years since their last tournament berth, the outlook of the program has taken a complete 180.
Sitting at a poor 13-18 record on the season, the only hope to make it back to the Big Dance will be winning four games in four days, taking home the first Big East championship in school history.
With the likelihood is improbable, the Dawgs will have to hope for an invitation to the NIT or Crown to continue playing basketball past the second week of March.
Butler is most familiar with the NIT, making the second-tier tournament in 2019 and 2024 — losing their first round matchup both years.
The Crown is a new competitor to NIT, that will include the two highest seeded non-NCAA tournament teams from the Big 10, Big 12 and Big East as well as 10 at-large invitations. For Butler to get an automatic bid into the Crown, the Big East must have six teams get bids into the 68-team field.
Scouting the Friars
The Friars have been riddled with injuries all season long, suffering a combined 59 missed games from rotational players this season. However, Providence has not suffered any additional injuries since the two teams last played just over a month ago.
Both teams were nearly automatic from both the field and beyond the arc, with each squad converting at over a 50% rate from each area. The difference laid at the free throw line, where the Dawgs shot 15 more attempts than their adversaries — despite converting just a lousy 57% of them.
Of their healthy season-long players, the Friars have relied on their two starting guards — junior Jayden Pierre and senior Bensley Joseph — to pace them in points at just over 12 points per game a piece. Joseph was specifically difficult for the Dawgs to guard, scoring 26 points on efficient shooting last time these two teams played.
If the Bulldogs want to keep their season alive, containing Pierre and Joseph will be critical for success.
