Butler used 25 points from Finley Bizjack and a slight carom advantage against one of the nation's best rebounding teams to take an 80-73 win over Virginia in the de facto championship game of the 2025 Greenbrier Tip-Off at America's Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
 
Michael Ajayi posted his sixth consecutive double-double to open the season with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
 
With the result, both Butler and UVA are 5-1 on the season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A 13-3 run by the Bulldogs gave Butler a 26-16 lead with 9:52 remaining in the first half.
• Butler's lead got to 41-30 before UVA scored 12 of the final 15 of the half to tie the game at 42-42 before Butler went into the half with a 44-42 lead.
• Virginia took its first and only lead of the game at 49-48 with 16:46 remaining in the contest.
• Butler quickly responded and the lead never got closer than four points over the final 10 minutes of the game.

 
TIP-INS:

• Bizjack went 9-for-18 from the field.
• Ajayi was 7-for-14 from the field and added three blocks to his double-double performance.
• Jamie Kaiser Jr. matched his career-high with 10 rebounds. He also matched his career-high with four steals.
• Drayton Jones had a season-best nine rebounds for Butler.
• Butler held a 43-39 rebounding edge. The Bulldogs have now rebounded all six of their opponents this season. Both Butler and Virginia entered the game ranked in the top 10 nationally in rebounding margin.
• Butler has scored 79 or more points in each game this season. Sunday was the first game that Virginia was limited to less than 80 points this season.
• The Bulldogs shot 48 percent from the field and limited Virginia to 41-percent shooting.
• Malik Thomas led Virginia with 24 points. Four Cavalier players finished in double figures.
• Butler got to the line 29 times, making 20. Virginia went 7-for-15 from the line.
• Virginia blocked 11 Butler shots, including eight by Ugonna Onyenso. 
• Butler won the 2024 Arizona Tip-Off in the team's most recent multi-team event (MTE) appearance, taking wins over Northwestern and Mississippi State.
• This is the second meeting between the Bulldogs and Virginia; the Cavaliers posted a 77-69 win in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament).

 
Up Next
The Bulldogs return to Hinkle for a Friday (Nov. 28) tip against Wright State.