Butler (9-8, 2-4 BIG EAST) vs. #25/25 UCONN (12-4, 3-2 BIG EAST)
Thursday, Jan. 20;  9PM 
Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.
TV:  FS1 - J. B. Long & Casey Jacobsen
Radio:  1430AM - @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
Varsity Network Radio App, XM380, SiriusXM App 970
 
Full Notes (PDF)
 
The Bulldogs return to Hinkle Fieldhouse for a Thursday match-up with No. 25 UConn. While the venue is new for the Bulldogs, who just completed a three-game East Coast road trip, the opponent is not. Butler and UConn played Tuesday night in Hartford with the Huskies picking up a 76-59 win.
 
SCHEDULING QUIRK: Butler joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2013-14 season and this is the fifth time that the Bulldogs have played the same conference opponent in consecutive games. The first three occurrences included the regular season finale and the opening game of the BIG EAST Tournament (Seton Hall, 2013-14; Seton Hall, 2017-18; and Providence, 2018-19). Butler and Providence were scheduled for back-to-back games last season (2020-21) sandwiched around Christmas. This year's back-to-back contests with UConn were not originally scheduled as the New Year's Day match-up was moved to Tuesday night due to COVID issues within the UConn program at that time.
 
THE SERIES: UConn is 4-0 in the all-time series with Butler. The teams met in the 2011 national championship game in Houston and then twice during the 2020-21 campaign as the Huskies returned to the BIG EAST.
 
UConn Leads, 4-0
Streak: UConn, W4
At Hinkle Fieldhouse: UConn Leads, 1-0
LaVall Jordan (at BU) vs. UConn: 0-3
First Meeting: UConn, 53-41; 4/4/11 (NCAA)
Last Meeting: UConn, 76-59, 1/18/22 (at UConn)
 
• This is the second of back-to-back games between Butler and UConn as the teams also met Tuesday night in Hartford.
• According to KenPom, Butler has played the fifth-toughest schedule in the nation so far this season; seven of Butler's eight losses have come to teams currently ranked among the Top 30 in the NCAA NET metric.
• Butler is 6-0 this season when winning the rebounding battle.
• Butler is 6-3 at Hinkle Fieldhouse this season.
• Butler is in the midst of a seven-game stretch that has them playing six Top 25 opponents.
• Freshman Jayden Taylor led the Bulldogs with 19 points in Tuesday's loss at UConn, the second-best scoring output of his career.
• Taylor is third among true freshmen in the BIG EAST in scoring.
• Freshman Simas Lukosius scored a career-high 17 points in Tuesday's game with UConn.
• The most notable match-up between Butler and UConn came in the 2011 national championship game, which the Huskies won in Houston.
• Bryce Nze has led the Bulldogs in rebounding in nine of the 10 games he has played this season.
• Chuck Harris led the Bulldogs with 15 points at Villanova Sunday, his highest output since scoring a season-best a season-high 26 points in the Dec. 7 win at Oklahoma.
• Jair Bolden's 23 points Thursday at Georgetown were a new high for him in a Butler uniform.
• Butler went 17-of-19 at the free throw line vs. Georgetown; the .895 percentage matched the Bulldogs' season-high.
• Bryce Golden is shooting 57.3 percent from the field this season, which is second in the BIG EAST.
• Aaron Thompson is the second Bulldog to register 500 career assists (505).
• Thompson's 20 points vs. Xavier Jan. 7 were one shy of his career-high.
 
LAST TIME OUT: No. 25 Connecticut handed Butler a 76-59 setback Tuesday evening at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. RJ Cole led UConn with 17 points. He was one of five Huskies in double figures. Adama Sanogo, recognized as the BIG EAST Player of the Week on Monday, posted a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds. The UConn defense limited Butler to 31-percent shooting.
 
Butler freshmen Jayden Taylor (19) and Simas Lukosius (with a career-high 17) combined for 36 of Butler's 59 points.
 
WEEKLY HONOR: Simas Lukosius was selected as the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week as announced Jan. 3. This is the first weekly honor of Lukosius's career. Lukosius led the Bulldogs to a 63-59 win over DePaul Dec. 29 in the team's only action of the week. The 6-6 guard scored a team-best (and career-high) 15 points. He hit two free throws with four seconds remaining to ice the game after scoring 13 points in the first half. He added four rebounds.
 
Both Jayden Taylor and Simas Lukosius got the start in the regular season opener against IUPUI Nov. 9. Freshmen starting in their first Butler game is a rarity. Multiple freshmen starting their first collegiate game at Butler was last done in 2008 (Gordon Hayward, Shelvin Mack, Ron Nored). The only other freshman to start his first Butler game between 2008 and 2021 was Myles Tate in 2020.
 
QUITE THE BATTLE: As part of the annual BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle, the Bulldogs picked up a 66-62 overtime road win Dec. 7 at Oklahoma. Chuck Harris led the Bulldogs with 26 points. Butler trailed by 10 points at the half and by 13 early in the second half before clawing all the way back. After Oklahoma forced overtime with a three-pointer with two seconds remaining in regulation, the Sooners took a 62-58 lead in overtime before Butler scored the game's final eight points.
 
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 challenged themselves significantly with this season's non-conference schedule.
 
Butler's non-conference opponents include three of the top 14 teams in this week's AP poll (No. 4 Purdue -- Crossroads Classic, No. 14 Michigan State -- Gavitt Games, and No. 10 Houston -- Maui Invitational in Las Vegas). Oklahoma, Butler's BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle opponent, is receiving votes in the poll. Texas A&M, another Maui Invitational opponent, is 15-2.
 
HOME SWEET HINKLE: Butler is 54-17 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in LaVall Jordan's five seasons as head coach of the Bulldogs.