Butler is undefeated at home this season. Photo by Andrew Buckley.
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | SPORTS EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu
The men’s basketball team looks to keep its momentum rolling when Eastern Michigan (EMU) comes to town on Dec. 2.
Here is what you need to know before the Dawgs take on the Eagles:
Who: Butler vs. Eastern Michigan
When: Dec. 2, 7 p.m.
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
How to watch: truTV
NET success
The men’s basketball NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings were released on Dec. 1 for the first time this season, and Bulldog fans are pleased with the contents. Butler ranks 21st in the metric, which is taken into consideration to build the NCAA Tournament field come Selection Sunday.
The Dawgs are the second-highest-ranked Big East team, trailing only UConn. Notable teams placed behind Butler include St. John’s, North Carolina, Auburn, Arkansas and Florida.
The Bulldogs will need to close out the non-conference slate with strong performances across the board, securing large margins of victory to help their metrics. Remaining opponents include Eastern Michigan, Boise State, Northwestern and NJIT — ranked 170, 80, 48 and 323 respectively.
Scouting the Eagles
Eastern Michigan already appears to be outperforming its preseason expectations. Picked to finish ninth in the Mid-American Conference, the Eagles are picking up steam in the final stretch of their non-conference schedule.
EMU has won two straight, starting with an upset victory on the road against Cincinnati just before Thanksgiving. Sitting at 5-3 overall despite playing three buy-games, the Eagles should be feeling confident as they travel to Hinkle.
Redshirt first-year forward Mohammad Habhab has led the charge this season, averaging 15.6 points per game. He is joined by a pair of redshirt seniors, guard Carlos Hart and forward Addison Patterson, each playing for their fifth team in as many seasons. Hart and Patterson were catalysts in the Eagles’ stunner in Cincinnati, with the former leading the team in scoring, and the latter in rebounding.
The glass should be where the Dawgs find an advantage, as Habhab is EMU’s tallest rotational player, tied with 6-foot-9 counterpart Godslove Nwabude, a sophomore forward averaging six boards per game.
If Butler can use its height and gain extra possessions, it should breeze to another victory, remaining undefeated at home.
