Butler University Athletics

**Thad Matta is under the weather and the Butler communications staff gave him the evening off from postgame media obligations.**
 
Four Bulldogs scored in double figures as Butler used an explosive second half to run away from visiting Western Michigan, 85-65, Monday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
 
Augusto Cassia posted career-highs of 16 points and three blocks in his first collegiate start, while Pierre Brooks II led the Bulldogs with 20 points.
 
Butler (now 2-1) outscored the Broncos, 46-28, over the final 20 minutes.
 
KEY MOMENT:

• Butler opened the second half by hitting five of their first six shots, putting together a 16-2 run that turned a 39-37 halftime advantage into a 55-39 lead with 16:25 remaining in the game.

 
HOW IT TRANSPIRED:

• The teams largely traded baskets throughout the first 20 minutes as the first half featured 11 ties and seven lead changes.
• Butler's run to open the second half built a 16-point lead with 16:25 to play before Western Michigan responded with a 15-2 run of their own to cut the lead to three at 57-54 (11:19).
• Butler scored 10 of the next 12 points to push the lead back to double figures and never looked back.

 
NOTEWORTHY:

• After committing 35 turnovers over the first two games of the season, Butler handed out 21 assists against only 11 turnovers Monday night.
• In addition to his game-high 20 points, Brooks added a career-high six assists.
• Finley Bizjack scored 10 points to go along with a career-best nine rebounds. His five assists were one shy of his career-high set Friday night.
• Patrick McCaffery added 15 points and six rebounds.
• Butler shot 10-for-21 from three-point range and shot 56 percent overall from the field.
• The Bulldogs' defense limited WMU to only 31-percent shooting from the field. WMU made only four of their 22 three-point attempts.
• The Broncos committed only five turnovers and made 15 of their 17 free throw attempts.
• Cassia made the first start of his Butler career. Butler has now used a different starting line-up in each of its three games to start the regular season; Butler used the same starting five in 32 of 33 games a season ago.

 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs host SMU Friday at Hinkle Fieldhouse, continuing a stretch of home games to open the season. The Mustangs are in their first season as a member of the ACC. Tickets are still available for the 7 p.m. tip, which will also air on FS2.