Junior guard Finley Bizjack is the only returning player to average at least 10 minutes a game. Photo by Andrew Buckley.

CALEB BALL | STAFF REPORTER | cdball@butler.edu

1. The Bulldogs will finish top 5 in the Big East 

This is almost an entirely new team. Junior guard Finley Bizjack and sophomore guard Evan Haywood are the only two returners from last year who saw the court for at least 20 games, while junior guard Ethan McComb saw seven minutes across five games. Head coach Thad Matta will have a lot of work to do with a completely new team, but this does not have to be a bad thing. Butler has something they did not have last year: size in the post. Junior center Drayton Jones and senior forward/center Yohan Traore are both listed at 6-foot-11 and show some promise with comfortability down low. This gives the Dawgs options with their big man rotation after being forced to play outside a lot last year with current Boston College junior center Boden Kapke. Expect to buckle in for a rollercoaster ride; with a promising non-conference schedule and players looking to gain new roles, the Bulldogs are a threat to leave their paw prints high in the standings.

2. Finley Bizjack will lead the team in scoring this season

Bizjack saw a jump in scoring from 4.2 points per game to 10.3 after his sophomore year. He also had an increase in minutes, starting 30 of the 34 games last year. The increased role can be challenging for some, but Bizjack is just one of the two key returning contributors from last season. Look for him to be a focal point in this offense with his ability to attack the basket and stretch the floor. A 30-point performance against Boise State last year was a taste of what he is capable of, so do not be surprised if he surpasses that career high this year. Bizjack has also been putting in work this offseason, as he was selected to the USA Basketball 3×3 development camp back in April.

3. Azavier “Stink” Robinson will make the Big East All-Freshman Team

Robinson had a very successful high school career in which he won two back-to-back regional championships. He was nominated for the 2025 McDonald’s All-American team, landing him as the No. 96 prospect in the class of 2025. The best part of this decorated high school career? He did it 20 minutes down the road at Lawrence North High School, so expect him to play well in front of his home crowd. It is not common to have first-years be key contributors to team success, but “Stink” is not your typical first-year. He should see the floor in a good majority of the games, and could even find himself in the starting lineup.

4. Butler finishes over .500 in Big East play, including two wins between St. John’s and UConn

This is not as bold considering the top-five finish in the conference, but the boldness comes with the wins the Dawgs earn here. St. John’s was a powerhouse in the conference last year and shocked a lot of people, but they are not that different from Butler. They attacked the transfer portal heavily after being left with one returning starter. Head coach Rick Pitino has a similar challenge as Matta with developing his team. With their first matchup taking place in Hinkle Fieldhouse, there is a lot to feel good about. UConn lost forward Liam McNeeley, who was a late first-round draft pick in the NBA this year. There is no question that Dan Hurley is a good coach, but an early Big East matchup between the Bulldogs and Huskies could swing in the Dawgs’ favor if UConn has not found its next foundation. 

5. Madison Square Garden will host a Big East Semi-final game with the Dawgs in it

Outside of UConn and St. John’s, there is no clear answer for how the rest of the conference is going to shape up. Marquette and Creighton have shown promise in recent years, but the rest of the conference has not. Even if all of these teams finish above Butler in the standings, it still gives them favorable tournament matchups on neutral territory — excluding St. John’s. The conference saw a lot of top players leave, with five being drafted in the NBA and even more signed to teams as undrafted free agents. The conference is up for grabs, and if Butler does not strike now, it may start to suggest the problems do not include the players taking the shots.