Butler Bulldogs (6-1) vs. Eastern Michigan (5-3)
Tuesday, Dec. 2 • 7PM
Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.
 
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Potential Text for Your Holiday Card as the Calendar Turns to December
• Butler is ranked No. 21 in the NCAA's NET ranking, which debuted Monday. The Bulldogs trail only UConn among BIG EAST teams in the NET rankings. Virginia, which Butler defeated on a neutral court Nov. 23, is ranked No. 31. SMU, which Butler lost to on the road by two points Nov. 15, is ranked No. 39.
• The Bulldogs average 90.9 points per game this season, which is 28th nationally. Butler has scored at least 88 points in each of the team's four home games so far this season.
• Butler scored 65 second-half points in Friday's 94-69 win over Wright State. The Raiders held a 32-29 halftime lead, Butler's first time trailing after 20 minutes this season.
• Butler shot a season-high 57 percent from the field, including 25-for-38 (66 percent) in the second half, in the win over Wright State. On the season, the Bulldogs are shooting exactly 50 percent from the field. That is tops in the BIG EAST and 42nd nationally.
• Butler has out-rebounded all seven of its opponents this season and the team's rebounding margin of +13.4 per game ranks ninth nationally.
• The Bulldogs only had six games last season with a rebounding margin of +10 or better but have accomplished the feat in five of seven games so far this season.
• Butler ranks fourth nationally in offensive rebounding percentage according to KenPom, tracking down 42.8 percent of their own misses.
• The Bulldogs are among the national leaders in total rebounds per game (45.3; sixth) and offensive rebounds per game (15.3; 11th).
• Butler held a 26-3 advantage in free throw attempts in Friday's win over Wright State. On the season, Butler is averaging 30.6 free throw attempts per game, which is seventh in the country.
• Butler's season free throw percentage of 65.0 percent ranks only 323rd nationally. However, due to the volume of attempts, the Bulldogs still average 19.9 makes per game (which is 36th nationally).
• The Bulldogs picked up wins over South Carolina and Virginia to win the 2025 Greenbrier Tip-Off.
• Michael Ajayi earned both BIG EAST Player of the Week and USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week honors Nov. 24 after averaging 16.0 points, 14.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in Butler's two wins at the Greenbrier.
• Ajayi opened the season (and his Butler career) with six consecutive double-doubles; his streak was snapped Friday against Wright State with 20 points and "only" eight rebounds. 
• Ajayi ranks third in the nation, averaging 11.9 rebounds per game. His average of 9.1 defensive rebounds per game leads the country.
• Finley Bizjack has led the Bulldogs in scoring in five straight games. Bizjack is averaging 20.6 points per game during this five-game stretch. Three of Bizjack's four career 20-point games have come during this five-game stretch.
• Jalen Jackson missed Friday's Wright State 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.
• Butler has 10 players averaging at least 10 minutes per game.
• Butler received votes in the Nov. 24 national coaches poll, the first votes for the Bulldogs this season.
• Butler is shooting 39.4 percent from three-point range as a team on the season, which is 28th in the country.
• Butler's defense has guarded the arc well this season; only one of the Bulldogs' seven opponents has shot better than 32 percent from three-point range.
• Butler had 21 fast-break points in Friday's win over Wright State; it was the third time this season that the Bulldogs had 20 or more fast-break points. On the season, Butler is averaging 18.1 fast-break points, which is 28th nationally.
• Yohan Traore scored a season-best 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting from the field in Friday's win over Wright State. Traore and fellow Butler center Drayton Jones combined for 24 points, making all 10 of their attempts from the field.
• In addition to Ajayi's 14 rebounds in the Nov. 23 win against Virginia (which tied his season-high), Jamie Kaiser Jr. matched his career-high with 10 rebounds and Jones set a season-high with nine boards.
• Six different Bulldogs have at least two double-figure scoring games for Butler through seven contests; that includes both Traore and Robinson off the Butler bench. Evan Haywood has one double-figure scoring performance this season, which also came off the bench.
• In Butler's two wins at the Greenbrier Tip-Off, Kaiser registered more steals (seven over two games) than misses (four over two games - combined 6-for-8 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free throw line).
 
Everything About the Eagles
• Eastern Michigan enters the contest with a 5-3 record and winners of four of their last five games.
• The Eagles registered a 64-56 road win at Cincinnati Wednesday. EMU led the entire game and built a 17-point lead in the first half. It marked EMU's first win over a Power Conference opponent since beating Michigan in 2014.
• Mohammad Habhab leads the Eagles in both scoring (15.6 ppg) and rebounding (9.2). He has double-doubles in five of the team's eight games so far this season.
 
First Time/Last Time/Only Time
• Butler's only previous match-up against Eastern Michigan came in the 2023-24 season opener in Indianapolis.
• The Bulldogs put up 60 points in the second half to come away with a 94-55 win after leading only 34-26 at the half.
• Six Bulldogs scored in double figures, led by Jahmyl Telfort's 18 points. The Bulldogs shot 57 percent from the field for the game.
 
There's No Place Like Hinkle
• 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).
 
Thad to the Bone
• In his 21st season as a head coach, Thad Matta coached his 700th career game in Butler's Nov. 28 win over Wright State.
• Matta's 486 wins entering the season are tied for seventh-most among coaches in their first 20 seasons as a head coach.
• Among active head coaches, Matta entered the 2025-26 season ranked 11th in winning percentage (.701) and 23rd in career wins (486).
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs continue the homestand at Hinkle, hosting Boise State Saturday (Dec. 6).