Butler Drops Second Game To Swiss National Team

Despite getting 27 points from Gordon Hayward, Butler dropped its second straight game to the Swiss National Team, 100-90, on Friday, Aug. 7, afternoon in Italy.  The two teams were squaring off for the second time in less than 24 hours.

In a game that featured little at the defensive end of the floor, the Swiss jumped out to a 26-23 first quarter lead and then held on for a 46-45 halftime margin.  Butler trailed by five points, 70-65, after three quarters, before the Swiss squad tacked five more points onto the final margin.

Butler junior Matt Howard, the Bulldogs’ leading scorer and rebounder last season, suffered a slight ankle/foot injury in the second quarter of the contest and did not play in the second half.

Hayward was one of four Bulldogs to score in double-figures in the high-scoring contest.  Sophomore Shelvin Mack tallied 16 points, junior Shawn Vanzant had 12 points and senior Avery Jukes added 11 points.  The Bulldogs also picked up six points each from sophomore Garrett Butcher and redshirt freshman Chase Stigall, four points each from Howard and senior Willie Veasley, three points from senior Alex Anglin and one point from junior Zach Hahn.

NBA player Thabo Sefolosha topped the Swiss and led all players in the game with 30 points.

The Bulldogs will take a couple of days off before returning to the court for a game in Rome on Monday, Aug. 10.

Bulldog Bits:  The Bulldogs had a five-hour bus trip after the game in Como to their hotel in Venice.  The team stopped in Verona for dinner and then proceeded on to Venice.  Butler will spend Saturday, Aug. 8, touring Venice and then move on to Florence on Sunday, Aug. 9, before heading to Rome.