GAME 11:  #18/19 Butler (9-1) vs. Southern (3-7) 

The Bulldogs return to Hinkle Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon, putting the nation's longest winning streak of non-conference home wins on the line as Southern visits Indianapolis. Butler, ranked No. 18 and No. 19 in this week's national polls, is coming off its first loss of the season. The Bulldogs fought back from a 16-point deficit before ultimately falling, 53-52, Tuesday night at No. 11 Baylor. 

Butler is 9-1 on the season, while Southern enters at 3-7.

THE DETAILS:
Saturday, Dec. 14;  Noon
Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.
TV:  FS1 - @VinceWelch & Dickey Simpkins (@ds8bballn)
RADIO:  93.5/107.5/1070 - @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
TuneIn Radio App, SiriusXM 381, SiriusXM Internet 971
@ButlerMBB  |  #ButlerWay  |  ButlerSports.com

THE SERIES: The teams have never met. Butler is 4-0 all-time against current members of the SWAC. One of those victories came during the 2010-11 season when Mississippi Valley State, led by current Southern coach Sean Woods, played at Hinkle. Butler won, 91-71. 

Notes (PDF)

• Butler owns the nation's longest streak of consecutive non-conference home wins at 56.
• Butler is committing only 10.0 turnovers per game, which is second nationally.
• Butler is ninth nationally, only allowing opponents an average of 55.9 points per game.
• Prior to losing at No. 11 Baylor Tuesday night, Butler's 9-0 start was the program's first since 2006-07.
• Six of Butler's 10 games this season have come against power conference opponents. All are KenPom Top 80 teams. Kamar Baldwin is averaging 20.7 ppg in those six games.
• Butler has limited seven of its 10 opponents to less than 60 points. 
• The Bulldogs limited No. 11 Baylor to just 19 points in the second half Tuesday night, holding the Bears to 24-percent shooting in that half. 
• The Bulldogs are shooting 48.6 percent from the field, which leads the BIG EAST and is 25th nationally.
• Butler's nine three-pointers in the win vs. Florida Saturday tied the Bulldogs' season-high.
• Butler's opponents have hit only 26 percent from behind the arc, the 11th-best defensive effort in the nation.
• Kamar Baldwin moved into tenth place on Butler's career scoring list Tuesday night; he now has 1,624 points.
• Aaron Thompson now has 316 career assists, tying him for ninth on Butler's career list. 
• Thompson had a season-high 16 points (two shy of his career-high) in Saturday's win over Florida. 
• Baldwin scored 31 points in the Dec. 3 win at Ole Miss, just missing his career-high by one point. He scored his 31 points on only 16 shots.
• Sean McDermott scored 16 points at Baylor Tuesday night, making six of his eight attempts (4-6 3FG).
• Thompson tied his career-high with eight rebounds at Baylor Tuesday night. 
• Butler's 1.44 assist/turnover ratio is 12th nationally; individually, Thompson's 2.80 A/TO ratio is 28th in the NCAA and leads the BIG EAST.

TOUGH SLATE: Butler just completed a stretch of playing five consecutive power conference opponents, and only Saturday's win against Florida came on the Bulldogs' home court. The Bulldogs' 9-1 start includes five wins over power conference opponents. Purdue (Dec. 21 as part of the Crossroads Classic) remains among Butler's final three non-conference games of the season. 

DAWG-GONE DEFENSE: Butler has limited opponents to an average of only 55.9 points per game. That mark is ninth nationally. Only three of Butler's opponents have eclipsed 60 points. The Bulldogs have been particularly good guarding the three-point line, as opponents have hit only 26 percent of their attempts from behind the arc. That defensive effort is 11th nationally.

HANDLE WITH CARE: Butler is committing only 10.0 turnovers per game, which is the second-best mark nationally. The Bulldogs' 1.44 assist/turnover ratio is 12th in the NCAA. That has helped Butler shoot 48.6 percent from the field so far this season, a number that leads the BIG EAST and is 25th nationally.