Butler (7-2) vs. California (3-5)
Saturday, Dec. 9;  Noon
Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.
 
TV: FS1 - Dan Hellie & Casey Jacobsen
Radio: WXNT 1430AM, Varsity Network Radio App, SiriusXM 383, SXM App 973 - @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
 
Series: Butler Leads, 1-0
 
One Year Ago
• Butler defeated Cal, 82-58, in Berkeley, Calif., Dec. 10, 2022. It was the first meeting between the two programs in series history.
• All five of Butler's starters scored in double figures.
• Of Butler's 2023-24 roster, only Connor Turnbull saw minutes in the game at Cal less than one season ago.
 
Of Note:
• Butler is in the midst of a five-game homestand, which includes the final four non-conference games of the season and the BIG EAST opener vs. Georgetown Dec. 19.
• The Bulldogs rank eighth nationally, committing just 13.3 fouls per game.
• Butler had a season-best 22 fast-break points in Tuesday's win over Buffalo. That was helped by a season-best 10 steals by Butler.
• Jalen Thomas posted 18 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Buffalo; it marked his first double-double and the fourth of his collegiate career.
• Thomas had scored a total of 23 points over his last five games before busting out for a season-high 18.
• Against Buffalo, Jahmyl Telfort matched or set new career-highs in rebounds (nine), assists (eight) and steals (four) to go along with 18 points. His career-high eight assists came one game after setting a then career-high of seven against Texas Tech Nov. 30.
• Butler's lead against Buffalo climbed to as many as 24 early in the second half.
• The Bulldogs' defense limited Buffalo to 39-percent shooting Tuesday night. The Bulls were the fifth opponent that Butler has held to less than 40-percent shooting from the field so far this season.
• DJ Davis ranks sixth nationally in free throw percentage (96.9). He has two separate games going 10-for-10 from the charity stripe and has hit 31 of his 32 attempts on the season.
• Butler's 77.6-percent free throw percentage is 22nd nationally. The Bulldogs have shot 70 percent or better from the free throw line in every game this season.
• Prior to the Nov. 30 win over Texas Tech, the Bulldogs last scored 100 points in a game Dec. 30, 2017 when Butler defeated No. 1 Villanova, 101-93, at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
• Bulldogs shot 54.5 percent from the field vs. Texas Tech. It marked the fourth consecutive game shooting 50 percent or better. Butler has made at least half of its attempts in five of the first nine games of the season.
• Butler's balanced attack has seen at least five players score in double figures in five of the team's nine games to start the season, including the win over Texas Tech.
• The Bulldogs hit a season-best 12 three-pointers in the win over Texas Tech.
• Butler has scored at least 80 points in six of its nine games to start the season; the Bulldogs only hit the 80-point mark six times total a season ago.
• Pierre Brooks II has made 17 of his 34 three-point attempts (50 percent) over the team's last five games; in the team's first four games of the season, he went 7-for-24 (29 percent).
• Andre Screen has made 28 of his first 36 attempts (78 percent) to begin his Butler career. Screen had a season-high 14 points in the win over Texas Tech.
• Butler has committed 10 or fewer turnovers in five of the team's nine games this season. Butler is 5-0 this season when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent.
• Butler out-rebounded Texas Tech, 40-24, Nov. 30. The +16 differential was the best of the season so far for the Bulldogs. Butler is 6-0 this season when out-rebounding its opponent.
• Nine different Bulldogs have scored in double figures in at least one game so far at this early point of the season. Brooks is the only Bulldog who has scored at least 10 points in each game so far this season.
• Entering the season, Thad Matta has won 453 games in his 18 seasons as a head coach, which averages out to 25.2 wins per season.
 
Home, Sweet Hinkle
• Butler is 75-2 over its last 77 non-conference home games.
• Butler has won 13 straight non-conference home games.
• Thad Matta is 28-7 at Hinkle Fieldhouse as the head coach at Butler (2000-01 and his current stint that began prior to the 2022-23 season).
• Butler has scored at least 80 points in four of its five home games this season (going over the 90-point mark three times).