Butler rolled to an 89-53 win over New Orleans as the Bulldogs officially opened the 2022-23 season and the second edition of the Thad Matta Era Monday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
 
In his Butler debut, Manny Bates led the Bulldogs with 25 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
 
STAT OF THE GAME: Bates made 12 of his 15 attempts from the field in posting his third career double-double and the second 20-plus point game of his career. He played his first two full seasons at North Carolina State before missing all but the first minute of the 2021-22 season due to injury.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Butler shot 56 percent from the field.
• Led by Bates, the Bulldogs scored 54 points in the paint.
• Five Bulldogs found double figures, including Chuck Harris (17), Eric Hunter Jr (14), Jayden Taylor (12), and Simas Lukosius (11).
• The Bulldogs forced New Orleans into 30 turnovers.
• Butler closed the first half on a 20-5 run over the final 6:08 to turn a 26-16 lead into a 46-21 halftime edge.
• Lukosius led the Bulldogs with five assists.
• Lukosius, Myles Tate and Pierce Thomas each had three steals for Butler.
• Taylor made all six of his free throw attempts.
• Hunter went 6-for-7 from the field. 

 
OF NOTE:

• The Bulldogs were without Myles Wilmoth, Jalen Thomas and Ali Ali due to various injuries.
• Butler has now won 24 consecutive home openers.
• Butler is now 65-2 in its last 67 non-conference home games.
• Butler's 89 points came despite shooting just 4-for-24 from behind the three-point line.
• Butler's 36-point victory was the largest by the Bulldogs since defeating Western Illinois, 107-46, at Hinkle Fieldhouse Dec. 21, 2017.
• Lukosius took an elbow to the face late in the first half and didn't return to action until four minutes into the second half.

 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs take to the road for a Gavitt Games match-up at Penn State Monday night (Nov. 14).