The men’s basketball team wasted no time building a lead against FDU, and never gave it up. The Dawgs came away with a 99-65 win to start the season 2-0.
Much like opening night, Butler’s game plan was clear: shoot threes early and often. That approach was executed to perfection, as the Bulldogs tied a program-best by making 20 longballs.
“That’s a part of the chemistry we’ve been building together since the summer,” junior guard Eduardo Klafke said. “I’m really happy for my teammates today.”
Seven different Dawgs knocked down at least one triple, with four of them making three or more.
Junior forward Asim Djulovic contributed with a 4-of-5 day from beyond the arc, but was just as efficient scoring inside. Djulovic finished 10-of-12 from the field for 25 points, leading all scorers for the second consecutive game to start the season.
He was complemented by four other double-digit scorers, including Klafke with 16. The catalyst for the balanced scoring attack, though, was an impressive display of ball movement that saw the Dawgs tie another school record. Thirty-one assists has been the high mark for Butler since 1984, but this year’s Bulldog squad joined the club, led by eight from graduate guard Jalen Jackson.
Head coach Ronald Nored was impressed with his team’s focus, particularly when placed in unfamiliar situations.
“I thought our poise was good,” Nored said. “They went to that 1-3-1 [zone] at the end of the half. We hadn’t seen them do that and that’s not something we’ve covered. But our guys were connected enough to be poised to continue to share the ball and find the right shot.”
Faced with a defense that wanted to clog the paint, Butler continued to pepper FDU with movement to open up space for shooters.
“[FDU] is so heavy in the paint that we needed to cut in space in order to find the guys on the perimeter,” Nored said. “Early in possession it’s hard to find those cutters, but they [pull four defenders] in and we can start to find those threes.”
The strategy worked, as the Bulldog offense was a well-oiled machine despite scoring less paint points than its undersized opponent. While neither of Butler’s opponents have been particularly formidable this season, scoring over 95 points in each matchup is an encouraging early-season sign that Nored’s style is effective.
Next, with a pair of buy-game victories under their belt, the Dawgs will face their toughest test to date, traveling to Boise State on Nov. 8.