GAME 23: Butler (12-10, 3-6 BIG EAST) vs. Seton Hall (13-8, 4-5 BIG EAST)
Saturday, Feb. 2; 12PM
Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.
TV: FS1 – Justin Kutcher and Len Elmore
RADIO: 107.5FM, 1070AM - @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
TuneIn Radio App, Sirius 119, XM 201, SiriusXM Internet 964
@ButlerMBB | ButlerSports.com
Limited Tickets still available -
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The Bulldogs host Seton Hall Saturday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse in a key BIG EAST match-up that will serve as the FS1 All-Access Game. Head coaches LaVall Jordan and Kevin Willard will be mic'd up for the entirety of the broadcast, which will air commercial-free. FS1 will be live with the coaches on the sidelines and in every huddle, in addition to the halftime and postgame locker rooms.
The tip is scheduled for noon and a limited number of tickets remain available. The Butler duo of Mark Minner and Nick Gardner will have the radio call on 107.5FM, 1070AM and the TuneIn Radio app.
Butler enters the game with a 12-10 record, which includes a 3-6 BIG EAST mark. Seton Hall is 13-8 (4-5 BIG EAST). The Bulldogs and Pirates are among eight of the 10 BIG EAST teams with either three or four conference wins at this point in the season.
THE SERIES: In a series that dates back only six seasons since they became BIG EAST rivals, Butler holds an 8-5 mark against Seton Hall. That includes a 3-2 record in Indianapolis. Seton Hall took the first match-up between the two teams this season in Newark, 76-75, Jan. 9.
FIRST TIME AROUND: Butler couldn't overcome a sluggish first half despite a frantic second-half comeback Jan. 9 in Newark, falling, 76-75, to Seton Hall. With six minutes to play, Seton Hall had rebuilt its lead to 63-53 before Butler pulled within two (69-67) on a pair of Brunk free throws with 1:22 to play. After Seton Hall extended the lead back to five on free throws,
Henry Baddley hit a three-pointer with 24 seconds remaining to trim the lead to 72-70. After the teams traded scores in the paint, Myles Powell was fouled and converted two free throws with 3.0 seconds remaining for a 76-72 advantage.
Kamar Baldwin's three-pointer at the buzzer determined the final score.
Powell led the Pirates with 31 points, including 13-of-15 from the free throw line. Seton Hall shot 51 percent for the game. The Pirates went to the free throw line 37 times compared to just 22 for Butler. However, Seton Hall made only 23 of those to keep the game within reach for the Bulldogs. Seton Hall took a 34-25 halftime lead as the Bulldogs shot just 31 percent from the field in the opening half, including 0-for-7 from three-point range. Butler committed just eight turnovers, but shot only 39 percent. Each team made only five three-pointers.
DOUBLING DOWN: In that match-up with Seton Hall Jan. 9,
Joey Brunk posted the first double-double of his career with 20 points and 10 rebounds, both career-highs for the redshirt sophomore. The game served as Brunk's first action against the Pirates.
Brunk's .667 field goal percentage on the season is fourth in the BIG EAST.
AGAINST THE PIRATES: In the 2018 BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden, Butler's
Kamar Baldwin scored a career-best 32 points and the Bulldogs pulled out a 75-74 win on
Tyler Wideman's put-back in the closing seconds. Butler overcame a 14-point first-half deficit in that game. Baldwin had 23 points in the Jan. 9 match-up with Seton Hall.
SOME UPCOMING R&R: Saturday's game will be the Bulldogs' tenth BIG EAST game, all of which have come in a 32-day span (beginning Jan. 2). Butler will have the first of its two bye dates following the game with Seton Hall as the Bulldogs do not have a midweek game before traveling to Georgetown Saturday, Feb. 9. The Bulldogs are without a weekend game later in the month (between games Feb. 20 at Marquette and Feb. 26 at home vs. Providence).
HANDLE WITH CARE: The Bulldogs have committed only 10.9 turnovers per game, a mark that is just outside the Top 20 nationally. The Villanova game Jan. 22 marked the sixth time this season that Butler has committed single-digit turnovers. In two separate games this season, Butler has posted a season-low seven miscues.
BIG IN THE BIG EAST: Kamar Baldwin has registered four 20-point games in the team's nine BIG EAST contests. Baldwin is averaging 20.3 points per game in conference games, a mark that is fifth in the BIG EAST. That average jumps to 25.0 points per game in the team's three BIG EAST wins this season.
HOME, SWEET HINKLE: Despite a loss to No. 10 Marquette in its last game, Butler is 9-3 at Hinkle Fieldhouse this season. The Bulldogs are averaging 78.2 points per game and shooting 39 percent from behind the arc in those home contests.
