Butler opened the 2023-24 season with a 78-46 exhibition win over Ohio Northern Saturday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The evening tip closed a day of Homecoming festivities on the Indianapolis campus.
 
The Bulldogs shot 58 percent from the field and had a balanced offensive effort as seven players posted between eight and 13 points on the night.

COACH THAD MATTA: "It was good for us to go against somebody else. We were able to play a lot of guys, get a lot of guys some experience out there. I thought our defense was pretty good at times; they brought the shot clock into it so there weren't a ton of possessions. We've got to clean up the 13 turnovers, but we have some good stuff to build on."
 
OF NOTE:

• DJ Davis led the Bulldogs with 13 points, which included a 3-for-4 performance from three-point range and four free throws.
• Pierre Brooks II (12) and Finley Bizjack (10) joined Davis in double figures.
• Forty-four (44) of Butler's points came in the paint.
• Posh Alexander had a game-high four steals as Butler forced ONU into 20 turnovers.
• The Bulldogs held Ohio Northern to 35-percent shooting from the field, including 8-for-33 from behind the arc.
• Ten of the 13 players who saw action in Saturday's exhibition were suiting up for Butler for the first time.
• Butler was without freshman Augusto Cassia, who sustained a strain to a muscle in his right leg Monday in practice. He is out indefinitely, and his status will be updated in the coming weeks.

 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs host Franklin College Wednesday night in the team's second and final exhibition leading into the 2023-24 regular season.