GAME 1:  Butler (0-0) vs. Western Michigan (0-0)
Wednesday, Nov. 25;  6PM
Hinkle Fieldhouse;  Indianapolis, Ind.
TV:  FS1 - @Alex_Faust & @JimJackson419
Radio:  107.5FM/93.5FM/1070AM - @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
TuneIn Radio App, XM 380, SiriusXM Internet 970

Full Notes (PDF)
Digital Game Program
 
The Bulldogs open the 2020-21 season Wednesday night when Western Michigan visits Hinkle Fieldhouse. The NCAA pushed back the start of the season by two weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic (which also ended the 2019-20 season prematurely). The Bulldogs haven't opened a season this late since the 1996-97 season (a Nov. 26 win over Indiana State). Butler's LaVall Jordan arrived on campus as a freshman the next season.
 
THE SERIES: Butler and Western Michigan have played 12 times, dating back to the 1921-22 season. The teams have not played since 1950. The teams played twice during the 1948-49 season and twice during the 1949-50 season, which were Butler's final two seasons as a member of the Mid-American Conference.
 
• Butler has won 58 consecutive home games against non-conference opponents, the longest active streak in the nation.
• The Bulldogs have won their home opener in 21 consecutive seasons. That dates back to 1998 when Southwest Missouri State (now referred to as Missouri State) won a 72-57 decision at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
• Butler has won 20 or more games in 20 of the past 24 seasons.
• Aaron Thompson was second in the BIG EAST in assist/turnover ratio (2.5) and fourth in assists per game (4.7).
• Thompson enters his senior season with 386 career assists, which is already seventh in Butler history.
• Thompson was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2019-20 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Award.
• At 6.6 rebounds per game, Bryce Nze is the BIG EAST's second-leading returning rebounder.
• Nze earned preseason All-BIG EAST second team recognition by the league's head coaches
• Nze led the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (.629) in 2019-20.
• The Bulldogs finished the 2019-20 season ranked 21st (coaches) and 23rd (AP) in the national polls; Butler was ranked No. 5 in both national polls Jan. 13, the highest in-season ranking in program history.
• Butler's 10 NET Quad 1 wins were tied for third nationally in 2019-20.
• Butler led the BIG EAST and was 11th nationally, allowing only 62.1 points per game during the 2019-20 season.
• Butler limited opponents to a .395 field goal percentage, best in the BIG EAST and 22nd nationally.
• Butler out-rebounded 23 of its 31 opponents in 2019-20 after out-rebounding only 10 of 33 the season prior.
• Butler's +4.3 rebounding margin was second in the BIG EAST.
• Butler committed only 11.3 turnovers per game, 32nd nationally. Butler had 14 games with 10 or fewer turnovers.
 
PRESEASON LOVE: The league's head coaches selected Bryce Nze to the 2020-21 Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team. Nze is the Bulldogs' leading returning scorer (9.2 points per game). He shot 62.9 percent from the field, which is the fourth-best single-season mark in Butler history and also led the BIG EAST a season ago. Nze's 6.6 rebounds per game were sixth in the BIG EAST last season, while also leading the Bulldogs.
 
PRESEASON NON-LOVE: Butler was picked to finish eighth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll by the conference's head coaches. With Connecticut returning to the BIG EAST, there are now 11 teams in the conference. The Bulldogs were also predicted eighth a season ago before finishing the season fifth in the league standings. In fact, Butler has "bettered" its preseason pick by multiple positions in the league standings in four of the last six seasons.
 
NEXT DAWGS UP: Butler will look to replace 62.9 percent of its scoring from a season ago, which includes All-BIG EAST performer Kamar Baldwin (fourth in Butler career scoring) and Sean McDermott (who recently signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies). The Bulldogs only return 21 of their made 212 three-pointers from a season ago.
 
SPEAKING OF NEW DAWGS: Much of that production will come from a group of newcomers, including the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history. Graduate transfer Jair Bolden arrives from South Carolina, where he averaged 8.5 points per game last season while hitting 41.2 percent of his three-point attempts. Bo Hodges has transferred from East Tennessee State, and Butler is filing a waiver with the NCAA in hopes that Hodges would be allowed immediate eligibility.
 
ON THE BOARDS: What was one of Butler's most glaring weaknesses in 2018-19 became a strength in 2019-20. The Bulldogs out-rebounded 23 of its 31 opponents after out-rebounding only 10 of 33 in 2018-19. Butler held a 46-24 rebounding advantage at St. John's in the BIG EAST opener on New Year's Eve, its largest margin since 63-28 vs. The Citadel Nov. 14, 2015. The Bulldogs also out-rebounded Providence, 44-26, in the Jan. 10 win in Rhode Island.
 
The Bulldogs finished second among BIG EAST schools in rebounding margin in all games (+4.3) and in conference games (+3.6).
 
AN IMPORTANT LINE: Butler was 11-1 when attempting more free throws than its opponent; the Bulldogs were 7-7 when the opponent gets to the line more than Butler. (Butler and its opponent attempted the same number of free throws five times.)
 
HANDLE WITH CARE: Butler had 14 games last season with 10 or fewer turnovers. The Bulldogs committed a season-low five turnovers at Villanova Jan. 21.
 
THE NEXT GROUP: The Butler men's basketball Class of 2021 has a distinct local Indiana feel. Coach LaVall Jordan has announced the signing of three standouts from the greater Indianapolis area to national letters of intent.
 
Joining the Bulldogs beginning with the 2021-22 season will be Jayden Taylor (6-4 guard; Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian), Pierce Thomas (6-6 guard/forward; Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) and Dionte "D.J." Hughes (6-8 forward; Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North). Each is ranked among the Top 10 recruits in the state and Top 50 nationally at their position by ESPN.
 
ON THE MEND: Senior forward Christian David continues to rehab from a torn ACL suffered Jan. 21 at Villanova. He is participating in non-contact portions of practice currently in hopes of returning to action later this season. Walk-on guard Campbell Donovan is also rehabbing a torn ACL in hopes of playing this season. Freshman Scooby Johnson suffered a torn ACL in August. He will miss the season.