Villanova swept its two matchups against Butler last season. Photo by Drew Kosmak.
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | MANAGING EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu
After a loss to Creighton dropped the men’s basketball team to 0-3 on the road, the Dawgs return to the friendly confines of Hinkle Fieldhouse for a battle with Villanova on Jan. 3.
Here is what you need to know before the Bulldogs take on the Wildcats:
Who: Butler vs. Villanova
When: Jan. 3, 12 p.m.
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
How to watch: TNT and truTV
Home, sweet home
The Dawgs have enjoyed a solid start to the season, featuring a 9-2 non-conference slate with a couple metric-boosting wins. However, road games stand out as the kryptonite for Butler so far.
The Bulldogs’ first loss of the season came in a nail-biter on the road against SMU. Just over a month later, Butler hit the road again to take on No. 5 UConn, falling by 19 points. Finally, the team’s most recent game was a four-point loss to Creighton in Omaha.
On the contrary, the Dawgs have been nearly unbeatable when not faced with tough environments. Their neutral-site record is unblemished and a loss to Boise State was the only hiccup of Butler’s eight home games.
With two pivotal home matchups looming, the Bulldogs will look to keep the trend going.
Scouting the Wildcats
Villanova sports a 11-2 record and 2-0 in conference, off to a strong start in Kevin Willard’s first year as head coach.
Guard play defines the Wildcats, with redshirt sophomore Bryce Lindsay and four-time Big East Freshman of the Week Acaden Lewis leading in scoring. Lewis is one of many strong three-point shooters on the team, boosting Villanova to the top of the conference in three-point percentage.
The real battle, though, will happen in the paint. Butler’s star graduate forward Michael Ajayi is the nation’s leading rebounder, hauling in 12.3 per game. The Wildcats’ senior forward Duke Brennan is not far behind, grabbing 11.4 rebounds, placing him at No. 5 in the country. Their matchup will be vital in determining which team can control possession and earn second-chance points.
This one has all the makings of a quality game, and one that could have major ramifications for the Bulldogs on Selection Sunday.
