The Butler Bulldogs men’s and women’s basketball teams tip off their seasons the first week of November. Photo by Alyson Swearingen.
JAMIE HEALY | STAFF REPORTER | jdhealy1@butler.edu
On Oct. 11, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams took the floor at Hinkle Fieldhouse in front of Bulldog fans for the first time this fall.
Open practice, which is a family weekend staple, featured a women’s scrimmage against the practice squad, followed by the men’s team playing an intra-squad game.
The women’s scrimmage saw numerous exciting plays — a mid-range jumper from junior guard Kennedy Langham and multiple tough layups, including a few from first-year guard Addison Baxter.
Additionally, the communication and passing continued to improve as the scrimmage went on.
Emily Walsh, a sophomore speech, language and hearing sciences major believes the open practice forces the team to communicate well to succeed.
“I think it makes strong communication necessary in a lower-stress environment for the players,” Walsh said. “Cheering fans being there to support [them] grows confidence.”
On the men’s side, the crowd saw 12 new faces — including redshirt sophomore guard Jamie Kaiser Jr., who was out the entirety of last season with an ankle injury.
The influx of transfers did not negatively affect the cohesion of the team. Instead, the new players thrived in the low-stakes environment.
Senior P2 pharmacy major David Rogiers understands that with so many transfers, it may take time for every player to be on the same page.
“It’s a part of the modern game with so many transfers,” Rogiers said. “I’m not expecting complete off-the-wall performances right away.”
In fact, it was a mix of transfers and first-years who supplied most of the noise for the electric Hinkle crowd.
First-year guard Azavier Robinson delivered a spin-and-finish for a bucket, and first-year forward Jackson Keith was all over the glass to collect rebounds and put shots back up. Junior transfer center Drayton Jones displayed high levels of athleticism when he leapt over the first row in addition to diversifying Butler’s offense as a force in the paint. Graduate transfer guard Yame Butler and first-year forward Jack McCaffery also hit shots from beyond the arc.
However, the new faces were not the only ones to show off what they have been working on all offseason.
Sophomore guard Evan Haywood had multiple shining moments on the floor. His most notable impact occurred when he scored eight points in under a minute — including a deep three-pointer.
Sophomore sports media major Jackson Roemer loved seeing the returning players on the men’s side and is looking forward to watching them develop more throughout the season.
“It will be nice to see what [Haywood] and Finley Bizjack put on display,” Roemer said. “It will be interesting to see them take on leadership roles as well.”
Overall, the intensity of both teams throughout their scrimmages gives reason to believe that the Dawgs will be tough out on the floor throughout the season.
Both the men’s and women’s teams will host exhibition games before the regular season begins. The men’s team takes on Notre Dame on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. and the women’s team hosts Taylor on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.
