#rv/rv Butler (3-0) vs. Dayton (3-0) – Battle 4 Atlantis
Wednesday, Nov. 21; 7PM
Imperial Arena; Paradise Island, Bahamas
TV: ESPNews - @RichardCrossSTM & @CoachJimmyDykes
RADIO: 93.1 FM, TuneIn Radio App, XM 382, SiriusXM Internet 973 - @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)

Full Notes (PDF)

The Bulldogs venture away from Hinkle Fieldhouse for the first time this season, traveling to the Bahamas for the 2018 Battle 4 Atlantis. Butler will play three games in a row, beginning with a Wednesday contest against Dayton. The 7 p.m. tip will air on ESPNews. The Butler duo of Mark Minner and Nick Gardner will have the radio call on 93.1FM and the TuneIn Radio app. 
 
The teams enter Wednesday's game with matching 3-0 records. Depending on Wednesday's results, Butler's opponent on Thanksgiving Day will be either Virginia or Middle Tennessee State.
 
PREVIOUSLY IN PARADISE (ISLAND): This is Butler's second appearance as part of the Battle 4 Atlantis field. The Bulldogs were part of the event in 2014, taking third place with a 2-1 record. Butler defeated #5/6 North Carolina in the opening round before losing to #rv/21 Oklahoma and Buddy Hield in the semifinals. The Bulldogs then beat Georgetown in the third-place game. Butler and Georgetown met three times that season as both teams had agreed to be part of the 2014 event prior to the Bulldogs joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
 
FREQUENT FLYER: Butler owns a 13-10 advantage in the all-time series against Dayton. Most recently, the teams met twice during the 2012-13 season in Butler's only campaign as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. From 1988-93, the teams met as members of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (which later became the Horizon League). Butler has won the last six meetings between the teams. Both universities also compete in the Pioneer Football League, the only non-scholarship, football-only conference at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
 
CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS: Butler has posted a winning record in each of its last four Thanksgiving Week tournaments. The Bulldogs won the 2016 Las Vegas Invitational, and went 2-1 in the other three events: the PK80 event in 2017 in Portland, the 2015 Puerto Rico Tip-Off, and the 2014 Battle 4 Atlantis. In addition to the 2016 Las Vegas Invitational, Butler has also won four additional early-season tournaments since 2000: the 2001 Top of the World Classic (Alaska), the 2006 NIT Season Tip-off, the 2007 Great Alaska Shootout and the 2010 Diamond Head Classic (Hawaii). 
 
'PAUL-ING' OUT: Senior Paul Jorgensen scored a career-high 27 points in Friday's 83-76 win over Ole Miss. Twenty-one of those points came in the first half. In all, Jorgensen connected on a career-best six three-pointers. It marked the second 20-point game of his career, joining a previous-best 23 points in the Dec. 30, 2017 win over No. 1 Villanova. Jorgensen has scored in double figures in all three games so far this season, something he did 20 times a season ago.
 
CLUTCH PERFORMANCE: Butler made all 18 of its second-half free throw attempts in solidifying the win over Ole Miss. For the game, Butler went 23-of-27 (85 percent). Junior Kamar Baldwin was a perfect 12-of-12 on the night. On the season, the Bulldogs are shooting .806 from the charity stripe. That percentage leads the BIG EAST and is 14^th nationally.
 
TOP DAWG: Kamar Baldwin led the Bulldogs in points (26), rebounds (eight) and assists (six) in the Nov. 12 win over Detroit Mercy. Baldwin has led the team in assists in all three of its 2018-19 contests, while also posting the team lead twice in points and twice in rebounds. He has scored more than 20 points in all three contests. Baldwin has led the team in scoring 11 times in his Butler career.
 
Through weekend play, Baldwin ranks second in the BIG EAST in both points and assists, as well as 12^th in rebounds. Early in his junior season, Baldwin is just 37 points shy of 1,000 for his Butler career. His 116 career steals are just six away from cracking Butler's career Top 10 list.
 
NOT A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT: Including Friday's win over Ole Miss, Butler has now won 46 consecutive home games against non-conference foes. The streak dates back to a loss to Pittsburgh in the 2012 College Basketball Invitational (CBI). That current streak trails only Duke and Arizona. Opponents who have fallen victim at Hinkle Fieldhouse during the streak include Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Northwestern (twice), Utah, Princeton (twice), Saint Louis, Chattanooga, Belmont, and Vermont.
 
POINT-BRUNK RANGE: Redshirt sophomore Joey Brunk is shooting .933 (14-15) from the field through the Bulldogs' three games this season. That leads the BIG EAST, but is one make shy of the minimum to be placed among the NCAA leaders. Three of Brunk's four career double-digit scoring performances have come this season.
 
The Bulldogs are shooting .530 from the field so far this season, which leads the BIG EAST and is 16^th nationally. Butler also paces the conference in scoring (85.7 points per game), fewest turnovers (11.3 per game), and assist/turnover ratio.
 
2018-19…HELLO: Butler opened up the 2018-19 season officially on Nov. 10, taking a 90-68 decision over visiting Miami (Ohio). The Bulldogs shot 60 percent in the contest and had four players in double figures. It was Butler's first time shooting 60 percent or better in a game since a win at Marquette, Jan. 31, 2018 (.600; 33-55).
 
The Nov. 10 win over Miami (Ohio) marked the 20^th consecutive season that the Bulldogs have won their home opener. That dates back to 1998 when Southwest Missouri State (now referred to as Missouri State) won a 72-57 decision at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Steve Alford was the coach of that team, which included Brandon Miller on the roster. Miller would later transfer to Butler and also spend time at his alma mater as both an assistant coach and head coach.
 
PAINT BY NUMBERS: The Bulldogs posted a 48-22 advantage in points in the paint against Miami (Ohio) Nov. 10. More than half of the Bulldogs' 90 points came in the paint. Butler's post tandem of Nate Fowler and Joey Brunk combined to shoot 10-of-11 from the field.
 
BRUNK-THROUGH PERFORMANCE: Redshirt sophomore Joey Brunk went a perfect 7-of-7 from the field against Miami (Ohio), registering a career-best 17 points in the season-opening win.