The Bulldogs, winners of two straight games, welcome Villanova to Hinkle Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon. In collaboration with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Butler will checker Hinkle with fans encouraged to wear blue or white based on the section of their ticket.
 
Butler (13-7, 4-5 BIG EAST) vs. Villanova (11-8, 4-4)
Saturday, Jan. 27;  3PM
Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.
 
TV: FS1 - Jason Ross, Jr. & Dickey Simpkins
Radio: WXNT 1430AM, Varsity Network Radio App, SiriusXM 382, SXM App 972 - @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
 
The Series with Nova
• Butler and Villanova first met in the 1996 Puerto Rico Shootout, the only match-up prior to Butler joining the BIG EAST beginning with the 2013-14 season.
• Five of Butler's six wins in the series have come at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
• Villanova has been ranked in the Top 10 of the AP poll, including No. 1 twice, in four of Butler's five wins at home in the series.
• Villanova was ranked No. 2 nationally when Butler won in Philadelphia in 2017.
 
Series: Villanova Leads, 16-6
Streak: Villanova, W1
At Hinkle: Series Tied, 5-5
First Meeting: VU, 62-54; 11/30/96 (Puerto Rico Shootout)
Last Meeting: VU, 62-50; 2/14/23 (at VU)
 
Of Note
• Butler's 90-66 win Tuesday at Georgetown was the Bulldogs' highest point total in a BIG EAST game since defeating DePaul, 91-78, Feb. 16, 2019.
• Butler has six games with 90 or more points this season and 10 with 80 or more. Butler hit 80 only six times all of last season. 
• The Bulldogs shot 56.9 percent from the field against Georgetown, including a 62-percent clip in the first half. Butler is now 12-0 this season when shooting a better percentage than its opponent and 6-1 when shooting better than 50 percent.
• Tuesday marked Butler's second-best shooting performance of the season, trailing only the .571 clip in the season opener against Eastern Michigan.
• The Bulldogs committed only eight turnovers at Georgetown. Butler has committed 10 or fewer turnovers in 11 games.
• The Bulldogs have only committed a total of 30 turnovers over its last four games.
• Five Bulldogs scored in double figures at Georgetown, the seventh such occurrence this season.
• Butler out-rebounded the Hoyas, 41-32, improving to 11-0 this season when that occurs.
• Butler's defense limited Georgetown to 35-percent shooting Tuesday night. Jayden Epps, the BIG EAST's leading scorer at 18.8 points per game, led Georgetown with 16 points, but made only four of his 19 attempts from the field to get there.
• The Bulldogs are 9-0 when holding their opponent under 70 points, including all four BIG EAST wins.
• Butler leads the BIG EAST, shooting 35.7 percent from three-point range on the season. The Bulldogs were ninth among the 11 conference teams a season ago.
• On the season, Butler ranks seventh nationally in free throw shooting at 78.8 percent. Butler has shot 70 percent or better from the line in all but one game this season.
• The Bulldogs rank 13th nationally, committing just 13.7 fouls per game.
• Pierre Brooks II finished with 20 points and a career-high 11 rebounds Tuesday, giving him the first double-double of his career. He shot 8-for-15 from the field, including four three-pointers. He went on his own 13-0 run midway through the first half.
• It was the sixth 20-point game of the season for Brooks and his seventh time leading the team in scoring. He has scored in double figures in every game this season.
• Over his last six games, Brooks is shooting 23-for-40 from three-point range (58 percent).
• Brooks is fifth in the BIG EAST in scoring at 16.8 points per game. He is second in the conference in three-point shooting (.441, which is 14th nationally) and third in made three-pointers (2.8 per game).
• Jahmyl Telfort had 17 points at Georgetown, his highest total since scoring 20 in the Dec. 9 win over Cal.
• DJ Davis made all six of his free throw attempts at Georgetown. He ranks second nationally in free throw percentage (97.0). He is 31-for-31 in BIG EAST play.
• Davis matched his career-high with five assists at Georgetown Tuesday.
• Butler had a season-high 11 steals against DePaul Saturday; Posh Alexander matched his career-high with six, while Davis set a new career-best with five of his own.
• Alexander is now the most recent player to record six steals for Butler (Saturday) and against Butler (while playing for St. John's, Jan. 10, 2023).
• Alexander owns the BIG EAST lead at 2.4 steals per game, which is 14th nationally. His 5.2 assists per game are fourth in the league. He currently stands at 495 career assists.
• Jalen Thomas ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in blocks (1.35) and tenth in rebounding (7.0).
 
Home, Sweet Hinkle
• Butler is 9-2 at Hinkle Fieldhouse so far this season.
• Thad Matta is 32-9 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 seven of its home games this season (going over the 90-point mark five times).
• Butler is 77-2 over its last 79 non-conference home games, winning 15 straight.
 
Balancing Act
• Ten different Bulldogs have scored in double figures in at least one game so far this season.
• Butler's balanced attack has seen at least five players score in double figures in the same game seven times this season, including most recently in the Jan. 23 win at Georgetown.