A 65-point second half gave Butler a 94-69 win over Wright State Friday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Michael Ajayi and Finley Bizjack led the Bulldog offensive output with 20 points apiece.
 
With the result, Butler improves to 6-1 while Wright State levels their record at 4-4 on the season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Butler never led in the first half but was able to tie the contest at 23-23 with 4:53 remaining in the opening stanza.
• Back-to-back Butler turnovers leading to back-to-back Solomon Callaghan three-pointers gave Wright State a 29-23 advantage at the 3:14 mark of the half.
• Wright State held a 32-29 halftime lead, Butler's first time trailing after 20 minutes this season.
• Butler opened the second-half scoring with an 18-3 run to take their first lead of the game, their first double-digit lead of the game and ultimately a 47-35 advantage with 15:20 to play.
• The lead was shortened to nine on two brief occasions after that with the 25-point final margin being the largest of the game.

 
TIP-INS:

• Butler was without starting point guard Jalen Jackson, who missed the contest with an ankle injury. In his place, Azavier "Stink" Robinson made the first start of his career, finishing with nine points, a career-high four assists, three rebounds and three steals.
• Ajayi added a team-high eight rebounds and four assists to his 20 points but his season-opening six-consecutive-game streak with a double-double was ended. Ajayi is the current BIG EAST Player of the Week and recipient of USBWA Oscar Robertson Player of the Week honors.
• Bizjack's 20 points came on 4-of-9 shooting from three-point range.
• Yohan Traore scored a season-best 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting from the field. Traore and fellow Butler center Drayton Jones combined for 24 points, making all 10 of their attempts from the field.
• Jamie Kaiser Jr. added 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists for Butler.
• The 65 points in the second half are a season-best, 20-minute segment for the Bulldogs, who scored 61 in the second half against IU Indy Nov. 8.
• Butler shot 57 percent from the field, including 25-for-38 (66 percent) in the second half.
• The Bulldogs got to the free throw line 26 times (making 15) while allowing Wright State to the line only three times.
• Butler held a 41-30 rebounding advantage. Butler has out-rebounded all seven of its opponents this season, with five of those by double figures.
• Callaghan led Wright State with 17 points on five made three-pointers; 14 of his points came in the first half.
• TJ Burch (13) and Michael Cooper (12) also scored in double figures for the Raiders; Michael Imariagbe pulled down 13 rebounds, the most by a Butler opponent so far this season.
• This marked the 44^th all-time meeting between Butler and Wright State; the previous 43 came as conference opponents in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference/Horizon League from the 1994-95 through 2011-12 seasons prior to Butler departing for the Atlantic 10 (and ultimately the BIG EAST Conference). Butler now leads the series, 28-16. 
• Wright State associate head coach Travis Trice started his playing career at Purdue before transferring to Butler for the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. Trice led the Bulldogs in assists both seasons and was the 1994-95 Team MVP. He was in a Bulldog uniform for the first match-up in program history against Wright State (Feb. 23, 1995). 
• Butler is 86-5 in their last 91 home games against non-conference teams. 
• Thad Matta is 28-4 at Hinkle Fieldhouse against non-conference opponents as Butler's head coach (which includes the 2000-01 season and since his return in 2022).

 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs continue the homestand at Hinkle, hosting Eastern Michigan Tuesday night (Dec. 2). Tickets are still available for the contest, which will air on truTV.