Michael Ajayi did something that no other Bulldog had done since 1983 Saturday afternoon as Butler defeated Northwestern, 61-58, as part of the Indy Classic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
 
Ajayi pulled down a career-high 20 rebounds, the first Bulldog to corral 20 boards since Tim Haseley, Nov. 26, 1983 against DePauw. Ajayi added a game-high 19 points.
 
With the win, Butler improves to 9-3, while Northwestern drops to 7-5.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• In what would be largely indicative of the rest of the contest, Butler opened the game by missing their first six shots from the field and Northwestern started 1-for-10.
• Northwestern led, 13-12, with 9:22 remaining in the first half. There would be one tie less than a minute later but the 13-12 advantage was the last time that the Wildcats led in the contest.
• Butler led 29-23 at the half.
• Butler's lead would grow to as many as 11 and was double figures with 14:18 remaining.
• Northwestern would not go away and trimmed the lead to a single point twice in the final two minutes. Two Evan Haywood free throws and a final stop by the Bulldogs accounted for the final margin.

 
TIP-INS:

• Ajayi's rebounding performance came on the birthday of the late Daryl Mason, Butler's rebounding leader for a career, single season and a single game. He passed away last month after a battle with cancer. The Bulldogs proudly have "Rebound 22 (Mason's number at Butler)" on their shooting shirts this season.
• Ajayi now has nine double-doubles in Butler's 12 games this season. He entered the game ranked fourth nationally at 11.5 rebounds per game.
• With his scoring output Saturday, Ajayi now has 990 career points in just under 2.5 seasons of Division I basketball.
• Butler held a 41-35 rebounding advantage and has out-rebounded all but two of their opponents so far this season.
• Butler shot 38 percent from the field and was limited to 7-for-30 shooting from behind the three-point line (23 percent).
• Jamie Kaiser Jr. scored 14 points for the Bulldogs before leaving the game in the second half with a left ankle injury.
• Haywood scored 11 points, his third consecutive game in double figures.
• Butler had 14 turnovers in the contest, the first time with more than 10 over the team's last five games.
• Northwestern played without leading scorer Nick Martinelli, who is averaging 21.9 points per game for the Wildcats.
• Jayden Reid was the only Northwestern player in double figures with 14 points.
• Butler has now won eight straight games against Northwestern.
• The Bulldogs defeated Northwestern, 71-69, last season in the semifinals of the 2024 Arizona Tip-Off in Tempe. Of Butler's current roster, only Finley Bizjack played in last season's contest against Northwestern. Four Wildcats on this season's roster saw minutes in that game.
• The Wildcats were also at the Greenbrier Tip-Off with Butler. Northwestern lost to Virginia, 83-78, and defeated South Carolina, 79-77.

 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs close out the non-conference portion of their schedule Monday, hosting NJIT at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Tickets are still available for the 2 p.m. tip, which will also air on ESPN+.