Butler and Penn State will play for the first time in 30 years as the teams meet Monday night in Pennsylvania in a match-up that is part of the annual Gavitt Games, pairing teams from the BIG EAST and Big Ten. 

Butler (1-0) at Penn State (2-0)
Monday, Nov. 14; 8:30PM
Bryce Jordan Center; University Park, Pa.

PDF Notes Available at https://bit.ly/3NGADRf

• Butler is 2-2 in the Gavitt Games, with home wins over Minnesota (2019) and Northwestern (2016). The Bulldogs lost at Maryland in 2017 and to Michigan State at Hinkle Fieldhouse in 2021.
• Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry served on Brad Stevens' staff at Butler for four seasons. During Shrewsberry's time at Butler as an assistant coach (2008-09 through 2010-11), the Bulldogs had an 87-21 record and appeared in back-to-back national championship games. Shrewsberry served as the program's director of operations during the 2007-08 season. Mike Green, Penn State's Director of Player Development, earned 2007-08 Horizon League Player of the Year honors while starring for Butler.
• Monday's game will be Project 44 Night at Penn State. Launched in 2016, Project 44 was created in honor of the late Andrew Smith. Wearing the No. 44, Andrew was a beloved, standout member of Butler two NCAA Final Four basketball teams. On January 12, 2016, at the age of 25, Andrew passed away following a two-year battle with cancer. Committed to carrying out Andrew's selfless work, Project 44's goal is to save lives by encouraging individuals to join the bone marrow registry in hopes of being a match for someone looking for a donor. 

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THE SERIES: Butler Leads, 2-1
Streak: Penn State, W1
At PSU: Penn State Leads, 1-0
First Meeting: Butler, 63-50; 12/27/75 
Last Meeting: PSU, 67-64; 2/12/92

• Butler and Penn State first met in the 1975 Pillsbury Classic in Minneapolis, Minn. (a Butler win). Butler and Penn State played a home-and-home series during the 1991-92 season with each team winning on their home court.

• Butler opened the regular season with an 89-53 win over New Orleans, thanks in large part to a 54-24 edge in points in the paint and forcing UNO into 30 turnovers. 
• In his Butler debut, Manny Bates posted a career-high 25 points and the third double-double of his career with 11 boards. He made 12 of his 15 attempts from the field. 
• Bates is the first Bulldog to score at least 20 points in his Butler debut since Rotnei Clarke (21 vs. Elon in 2012). 
• Butler's 36-point victory was the largest by the Bulldogs since defeating Western Illinois, 107-46, at Hinkle Fieldhouse Dec. 21, 2017.
• Thad Matta returns to his alma mater as the head coach at Butler; he also led the Bulldogs as head coach during the 2000-01 season. 
• Matta is a combined 70-26 in the first season at each of his previous head coaching stops (Butler in 2000-01, Xavier in 2001-02 and Ohio State in 2004-05), winning at least 20 games in each of those seasons.
• Butler went on a foreign tour to Italy and Greece August 2-12, playing four games abroad.
• The Bulldogs were without Myles Wilmoth, Jalen Thomas, and Ali Ali against New Orleans due to various injuries. After missing both exhibitions, John-Michael Mulloy was available against New Orleans but did not play. 
• BIG EAST coaches have voted Butler eighth in the conference's preseason poll, while Butler junior Chuck Harris was named Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention for the second consecutive season.
• Butler's schedule includes 20 BIG EAST conference games as the league plays a true home-and-home round robin schedule. Butler will open the Battle 4 Atlantis with Tennessee, ranked No. 11 in both the preseason AP and coaches polls. The field also includes No. 5 Kansas, No. 24/25 Dayton, and USC, which is receiving votes in both polls. Butler will host Kansas State at Hinkle Fieldhouse in the BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle, and will travel to Penn State (Gavitt Games) and California during the non-conference portion of the schedule.
• Chuck Harris led Butler in scoring as both a freshman (2020-21) and a sophomore (2021-22). He looks to become the first Bulldog to lead the team in scoring in three consecutive seasons since Kellen Dunham (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16).
• Butler adds four transfers for the 2022-23 season; three were members of 2022 NCAA Tournament teams (Eric Hunter Jr at Purdue, Ali Ali at Akron and Jalen Thomas at Georgia State). 
• Jalen Thomas will miss the beginning of the 2022-23 season while being treated for a pulmonary embolism.