First-year guard Stink Robinson is coming off of consecutive double-figure scoring outputs amid a two-game win streak. Photo by Andrew Buckley.
DAVID JACOBS | MANAGING EDITOR | drjacobs@butler.edu
Riding the tailwinds of its first conference win-streak of the season, the men’s basketball team hosts conference bottom-feeder Marquette to continue to fight towards the right side of the tournament bubble.
Here is what you need to know:
Who: Marquette vs. Butler
When: Jan. 23, 8:00 p.m.
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
How to watch: FS1
Backs against the wall
After dropping four consecutive games to close out 2025 and open up the new year, the Bulldogs are sneaking their way back into tournament talks, slotting in at 50th in the NET rankings.
However, for any chance of an at-large bid come March, the Dawgs will need to stretch their win-streak across the next five games — four of which against the bottom-three teams in the conference standings.
Accomplishing such a lofty feat would put Butler at 17-7 with seven games remaining in the regular season.
For now, though, a must-win match against Marquette is top-priority.
Scouting the Golden Eagles
After four-consecutive 20-win seasons and tournament berths under head coach Shaka Smart, the Eagles have looked like a shell of themselves following a 7-13 start, including a 0-6 record on the road.
Led by two 15-point-per-game scorers in senior guard Chase Ross and first-year guard Nigel James Jr., Marquette’s offense tends to become stale when the ball is not in one of their hands.
With graduate forward Michael Ajayi likely continuing his role of checking the opponent’s best player, which would be Ross, first-year guard Stink Robinson will be in an intriguing match-up against James Jr. all night long.
Robinson, who has scored in double-figures each of the last two games, has made big strides in commanding the offense and has been steady as ever on the defensive side of the ball.
The formula for a victory is simple: winning the turnover battle. Of all the downfalls this Marquette squad has, the Golden Eagles have been smart with the ball all year long, forcing two more turnovers per game than they give up.
