Game Notes

2021-22 EXHIBITION: BUTLER VS. THE UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS
DATE: Friday, Nov. 5; 7PM
RADIO: WXNT 1430AM -- @MarkMinner and Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
AUDIO: Varsity Network App
TV: None
LIVE STATS: ButlerSports.com
2020-21 Season: 10-15 Overall, 8-12 BIG EAST
 
• Friday's contest is Butler's second and final exhibition leading into the 2021-22 regular season.
• The Bulldogs defeated Tiffin, 94-84, in the team's first exhibition outing.
• Butler alum Roosevelt Jones is a member of the UIndy coaching staff.
• Butler was picked to finish sixth in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll by the conference's head coaches.
• Sophomore Chuck Harris was an honorable mention selection to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team by the conference's head coaches.
• Butler's roster returns 97.2 percent of its scoring and 96.2 percent of its minutes played from last season.
• Butler adds graduate transfer Ty Groce to the roster; Groce led Eastern Michigan in both scoring and rebounding in 2020-21.
• Butler's 2021-22 roster includes six players who are entering their fifth or sixth season of college basketball.
• The Bulldogs return 10 of their 11 top scorers from a season ago.
• Butler had nine players miss at least one game last season due to a non-COVID injury.
• Butler and Creighton were the only two BIG EAST teams to play all 20 conference games during the 2020-21 season.
• Butler overcame a 19-point deficit to beat Xavier in the BIG EAST Tournament, the largest comeback in a win for the Bulldogs since erasing a 20-point deficit at Georgetown Dec. 27, 2017.
• Five of Butler's 10 wins in 2020-21 included double-digit comebacks.
• Harris was the first freshman to lead Butler in scoring since 1979-80 season.
• Harris was a unanimous selection to the 2020-21 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
• Butler is 59-1 over its last 60 non-conference home games.
• Eight different Bulldogs led the team in scoring last season; six different Bulldogs posted 20-point games.
• Freshmen scored 35 percent of Butler's points during the 2020-21 season.
• Butler committed single-digit turnovers in nine games last season.
• Butler picked up top 10 wins over Creighton and Villanova last season.
• Butler went 8-4 at Hinkle Fieldhouse during the 2020-21 season.
• Bryce Nze finished fourth in the BIG EAST in rebounding (7.7 per game)
• Nze posted five double-doubles during the 2020-21 season and eight games with double-digit rebounds.
 
The Bulldogs finish off the exhibition portion of the 2021-22 season by hosting the University of Indianapolis Friday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
The Greyhounds return a familiar face to Hinkle Fieldhouse in UIndy assistant coach Roosevelt Jones. Jones helped the Bulldogs to three NCAA Tournament appearances during his time at Butler, twice earning All-BIG EAST second team honors. He was part of 94 wins in his four seasons of action. Jones ranks among Butler's leaders in career assists (464, fourth), rebounds (814, fifth), and points (1,533; 13th).
 
DRESS REHEARSAL: The Bulldogs opened the season with a 94-84 exhibition win over Tiffin Saturday afternoon at Hinkle. Freshman Jayden Taylor led the Bulldogs with 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Both Bryce Nze (23 points, 10 rebounds) and Aaron Thompson (11 points, 10 assists) posted double-doubles. The Bulldogs shot 58 percent for the contest and held strong advantages in rebounding (37-23) and points in the paint (50-28). Tiffin stayed in the contest by shooting 15-of-29 from three-point range.
 
TOUGH SLATE: In addition to a true round-robin format that has Butler playing all 10 BIG EAST foes both on the road and at home, the Bulldogs will challenge themselves significantly with this season's non-conference schedule. Butler will host Michigan State Nov. 17 in the annual Gavitt Games. The Maui Invitational (now being played in Las Vegas) features an opening-round match-up with 2021 Final Four team Houston. The Bulldogs travel to Oklahoma Dec. 7 in the annual BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle. Butler and Purdue, which is No. 7 in the AP preseason poll, will meet Dec. 18 in the Crossroads Classic. 
 
HAPPY RETURNS: Butler returns 10 of its top 11 scorers from last season. In all, Butler's roster returns 97.2 percent of its scoring and 96.2 percent of minutes played from the 2020-21 season. Butler returns five double-digit scorers from a season ago and adds Ty Groce, a graduate transfer from Eastern Michigan. Groce led the Eagles in scoring last season, the sixth player on the Butler roster to average double figures in 2020-21. Butler has six players who will play their fifth season of college basketball during the upcoming campaign -- Aaron Thompson, Bryce Nze, Jair Bolden, Christian David, Bo Hodges, and Ty Groce. Of that group, Nze, Bolden and Groce are in their sixth year of college after previously redshirting and now taking advantage of the additional season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
PRESEASON PICKS: The BIG EAST head coaches picked the Bulldogs to finish sixth in the league standings in the preseason poll that was announced as part of BIG EAST Media Day in New York City in October.
 
WHAT WILL HE DO FOR AN ENCORE?: Butler's Chuck Harris was recognized as an honorable mention selection to the 2021-22 All-BIG EAST preseason team. Harris was one of three unanimous picks on the 2020-21 All-BIG EAST Freshman Team, joining Posh Alexander of St. John's and Marquette's Dawson Garcia (Garcia has since transferred to North Carolina). Harris led the Bulldogs in scoring during the 2020-21 season, becoming the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since the 1979-80 season (Tony Warren). Harris led the team in scoring in 17 of his 24 games played, scoring 20 or more points six times.
 
Harris became the third Bulldog to earn a spot on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team since Butler joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2013-14 season. Kamar Baldwin was also a unanimous selection in 2016-17 and Andrew Chrabascz earned a spot on the 2013-14 team.
 
TOP 10 WINS: Butler defeated No. 8 Villanova, 73-61, Feb. 28 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in the Bulldogs' Senior Day. It was Butler's second Top 10 win of the season; the Bulldogs also defeated No. 8/6 Creighton on Jan. 16.

HOME SWEET HINKLE: Butler is 48-14 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in LaVall Jordan's four seasons as head coach of the Bulldogs.
 
CALL IT A COMEBACK: Five of Butler's 10 wins during the 2020-21 season included a double-digit comeback. The Bulldogs overcame a 19-point deficit in the BIG EAST Tournament win over Xavier, which was Butler's biggest comeback since erasing a 20-point deficit at Georgetown Dec. 27, 2017, taking a 91-89 double-overtime win.
 
Other comebacks included a Feb. 9 16-point comeback against St. John's as well as 12 vs. DePaul, Feb. 6; 13 vs. Creighton, Jan. 16; and 11 vs. Georgetown, Jan. 6.