Junior guard Finley Bizjack tied a season-low with just seven points against UConn. Photo by Drew Kosmak.
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | SPORTS EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu
The men’s basketball team traveled to Connecticut with tired legs and it showed in a 79-60 loss to UConn. Coming off a win in a Big East-opener slugfest against Providence in double overtime, the Bulldogs faced a tough task going on the road against the No. 5 ranked Huskies.
After jumping out to an 11-4 lead, it was a painful first half for the visitors offensively. The Dawgs ended the frame with a season-low 25 points after struggling to generate consistent offense in any fashion. A 1-of-12 three-point shooting performance was difficult to overcome, and being blocked eight times in the first half — tying the Huskies’ season-high for rejections in a game — was a recipe for disaster.
Defensively, things were no better for the Bulldogs. They allowed Solo Ball to catch fire for 17 points while fellow junior guard Silas Demary Jr. diced up the Dawgs’ defense with seven assists before the break.
The second half was an improvement, but not enough to cut into the deficit outside of a couple short scoring spurts. First-year guard Stink Robinson — starting at point guard with graduate Jalen Jackson now out for the season — put together an encouraging second period to finish with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists, giving the Dawgs a little energy.
Meanwhile, junior center Drayton Jones battled admirably against one of the nation’s elite frontcourts, piecing together 13 points and 5 rebounds.
For Butler, the game provided a litmus test for how it stacks up against one of the nation’s best teams, as well as how the Dawgs would handle a tough road environment. It was not pretty, but after going head to head with the cream of the conference’s crop, upcoming games should feel easier.
Butler is now 8-3 on the season and 1-1 in Big East play.
Next up for the Dawgs is a neutral site matchup just a few miles from home, facing off against Northwestern at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
