The Bulldogs officially tip off the 2022-23 season and the second edition of the Thad Matta Era Monday night when the New Orleans Privateers visit Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
FOX Sports' season tips off Monday, Nov. 7, with exclusive whip-around coverage showing live look-ins of eight BIG EAST contests with limited commercials during the BIG EAST OPENING NIGHT TIP-OFF at 6:30 PM ET on FS1. All eight games are available in their entirety on the FOX Sports App and FOXsports.com.
 
Butler (0-0) vs. New Orleans (0-0)
Monday, Nov. 7;  6:30PM
Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.
 
PDF Notes Available at https://bit.ly/3NGADRf
 
FOLLOW ALONG:
TV:  FS1 & FOX Sports App - Bob Brainerd & Kim Adams
Radio:  1430AM - @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
Varsity Network Radio App
SiriusXM 382, SXM App 972
 
THE SERIES:
Butler Leads, 2-0
Streak: Butler, W2
At Hinkle: Butler Leads, 2-0
First Meeting: Butler, 57-44; 1/5/13
Last Meeting: Butler, 79-53; 11/9/19
 
• The Bulldogs have won their home opener in 23 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 64-2 over its last 66 non-conference home games.
• 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.
• After having only seven assists in Saturday's exhibition win over Tiffin, the Bulldogs had 25 assists on their 39 made field goals Tuesday against Davenport. The 25 assists came against only 10 turnovers.
• In Tuesday's final exhibition, Butler had 54 points in the paint, compared to just 16 for Davenport. The Bulldogs also had a 23-2 edge in fast break points.
• The Bulldogs were without Myles Wilmoth, Jalen Thomas, John-Michael Mulloy and Ali Ali against Davenport due to various injuries.
• 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).
• Incoming transfer Manny Bates had 147 blocks in two seasons at NC State
• Hunter was named to the 2021-22 Big Ten All-Defensive Team and shot 54 percent from three-point range in conference play
• Jalen Thomas will miss the beginning of the 2022-23 season while being treated for a pulmonary embolism
• Jayden Taylor had five games during his freshman campaign where he scored 18 or more points.
• Butler was 6-1 when Simas Lukosius scored in double figures during his freshman season; all seven of those games came against BIG EAST opponents, including Lukosius's career-best 27 points against Xavier in the opening round of the 2022 BIG EAST Tournament.
• Harris had four games scoring 20 points or more during the 2021-22 season, including 29 vs. Xavier in the opening round of the 2022 BIG EAST Tournament.
• According to KenPom, Butler played the 12th-toughest regular season schedule in the nation during the 2021-22 season.
• Butler was not part of the 2022 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments, the first time missing consecutive NCAA Tournaments since 2005 and 2006 (the 2020 NCAA Tournament was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Butler was a consensus selection for the field among both respected bracketologists and those claiming to be respected bracketologists).