Butler (0-0) vs. IUPUI (0-0)
Tuesday, Nov. 9;  6:45PM 
Hinkle Fieldhouse;  Indianapolis, Ind.
TV:  FS1 & FOX Sports App - @VinceWelch & @Kim_Adams1
Radio:  1430AM - @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
Varsity Network Radio App, SiriusXM App 984

The Bulldogs officially open the 2021-22 season Tuesday night when the Jaguars of IUPUI make the short trip to Hinkle Fieldhouse from downtown Indianapolis.

The game is part of the FOX Opening Night Tip-Off Show, which will have FS1 showcasing all of the BIG EAST teams who have opening-night contests. While FS1 will cut in and out of Butler's game throughout the night, fans who want to follow solely along with the Bulldogs' game are encouraged to watch the contest in its entirety on the FOX Sports App.

THE SERIES: Butler and IUPUI meet for the seventh time with Tuesday's match-up. The Bulldogs have won all six previous games, all of which have been played at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The two teams also opened the 2019-20 season at Hinkle Fieldhouse, which is coach LaVall Jordan's only meeting against the Jaguars as the head coach at Butler.

• The Bulldogs have won their home opener in 22 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 is 59-1 over its last 60 non-conference home games.
• 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 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'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 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.
• Eight different Bulldogs led the team in scoring last season; six different Bulldogs posted 20-point games.
• Butler committed single-digit turnovers in nine games 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)

DRESS REHEARSAL #1: The Bulldogs opened the season with a 94-84 exhibition win over Tiffin Oct. 30 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.

DRESS REHEARSAL #2: The Bulldogs closed the exhibition portion of their schedule with a Friday night win over the University of Indianapolis, 73-68. Chuck Harris led the Bulldogs with an efficient 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Bryce Nze posted 15 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the preseason. Jayden Taylor added 12, his second straight double-figure scoring performance. The Bulldogs committed only five turnovers.

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.