Butler aims to win two-straight conference games for the first time this season. Photo by Drew Kosmak.
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | MANAGING EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu
After its biggest win of the season, the men’s basketball team returns home to square off with DePaul.
Here is what you need to know before the Bulldogs take on the Blue Demons:
Who: Butler vs. DePaul
When: Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
How to watch: truTV
Dawg domination
DePaul is the victim of Butler’s second-longest active win streak against a single team, trailing only UIC. The Bulldogs have come out on top 11 straight times against the Blue Demons, part of a 22-2 overall series record.
Butler’s 22 wins are also tied for second-most against one opponent, with Cleveland State posting 24 losses to the Dawgs.
In the most recent matchup, Butler took home a 12-point victory, leading nearly wire-to-wire. Guard Finley Bizjack, then a sophomore, put up 16 points in the win, part of his hottest stretch of the season. Butler’s lone returning rotational player will have to star again for the Bulldogs to continue their win streak against a much more competitive version of DePaul.
Scouting the Blue Demons
Second-year head coach Chris Holtmann — who took Butler to a Sweet Sixteen during his three seasons with the Dawgs — is creating some buzz around his program for the first time in recent memory. DePaul has just one winning season since 2010, but sits at 11-7 so far this year, the same mark as Butler.
The Blue Demons’ success this season has been rooted in stable leadership, returning three of their top four scorers. Senior guard CJ Gunn leads the team with 14.5 points per game, and is joined in the backcourt by junior Layden Blocker, a two-way threat that serves as a glue guy for DePaul. Senior forward NJ Benson rounds out the trio, providing a physical presence inside.
The Blue Demons are a well-coached and well-rounded unit that lacks glaring weaknesses, but also does not have any game-changing strengths. Expect Butler to be aggressive early on, trying to avoid a close game against a team that has a wealth of experience in close late-game situations.
