Butler Bulldogs (13-7, 4-5 BIG EAST) at #25/24 St. John's (15-5, 8-1)
Wednesday, Jan. 28 • 7PM
Madison Square Garden; New York, N.Y.
 
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• Butler carries a three-game winning streak into a Wednesday night tip at No. 25/24 St. John's.
• This is the Bulldogs' first regular season game against St. John's at Madison Square Garden since Feb. 18, 2014, Butler's first season as a member of the BIG EAST.
• St. John's is the first BIG EAST opponent that Butler will play a second time this season. The Red Storm won, 84-70, at Hinkle in the first match-up between the teams Jan. 6.
• Thad Matta enters Wednesday's game with 499 career wins as a head coach.
• Finley Bizjack is the BIG EAST Player of the Week after averaging 26.0 points per game in Butler's 2-0 week.
• Bizjack has scored 20 or more points in four of the last five games (and a total of nine times this season). Bizjack is second in the BIG EAST in scoring at 17.5 points per game and ranks third in the conference with 2.5 made three-pointers per game.
• Over the last 11 games, Bizjack is 54-for-58 (93 percent) at the free throw line. On the season, Bizjack ranks second in the BIG EAST with an 86-percent mark.
• Butler has shot better than 50 percent from the field in back-to-back games and in a total of eight games this season. 
• The Bulldogs have scored 85 points or more in back-to-back games and in a total of 10 times this season (four of those games have been in BIG EAST play). On the season, Butler is averaging 83.6 points per game.
• Butler went 23-for-31 from the free throw line in Friday's 87-76 win over Marquette. On the season, the Bulldogs average 26.6 free throw attempts per game, a mark that is 13th nationally.
• Butler has out-rebounded 16 of its 20 opponents this season. The Bulldogs average 39.4 rebounds per game and have a +5.2 rebounding margin; both marks lead the BIG EAST.
• Butler ranks 37th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage according to KenPom, collecting 36.5 percent of their misses.
• Butler has out-rebounded their opponent by at least 10 in seven games this season (after having only six games of +10 or greater rebounding margin all of last season).
• Michael Ajayi led the Bulldogs in rebounding for the 20th time in 20 games with nine boards against Marquette Friday.  
• Ajayi ranks third nationally in both rebounding (11.5 per game) and double-doubles (13); he has 32 double-doubles in 87 collegiate games.
• In addition to leading the league in rebounding, Ajayi ranks fourth in the BIG EAST at 16.4 points per game. He is also among the conference Top 15 in field goal percentage (fourth), minutes played (fourth), blocked shots (11th), and assists (13th).
• Jamie Kaiser Jr. scored 11 points Friday versus Marquette, his first double-digit scoring performance since Dec. 30 at Creighton.
• Azavier Robinson tied his career-high with four steals Friday against Marquette; he has five games this season with three or more steals.
• Butler overcame a four-point halftime deficit with 54 points in the second half in the Jan. 20 win over DePaul; it was Butler's fifth-most points in a half this season.
• Butler picked up a 77-66 road win at No. 25 Seton Hall Jan. 17. The 77 points scored by Butler are the second-highest total allowed by Seton Hall this season. Butler committed only eight turnovers, matching the low for a Seton Hall opponent this season.
• Ten different Bulldogs have scored at least 13 points in at least one game this season.
 
Read Up on the Red Storm
• St. John's has won six straight games and is 9-2 at home this season.
• BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor leads the Red Storm, averaging 15.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per
game.
• Both Butler and St. John's are among the Top 15 nationally in free throw attempts per game; however, Butler ranks 23rd nationally in fewest fouls committed per game.
• St. John's is also among the nation's leaders in blocked shots (23rd; 5.0), offensive rebounds (19th; 13.9), and turnovers forced per game (29th; 15.0).
• The Red Storm were picked to win the BIG EAST in the preseason coaches poll.
 
First Time Around
• The Red Storm defense forced Butler into 21 turnovers as St. John's took an 84-70 win Jan. 6 in Indianapolis.
• St. John's turned those 21 miscues into 27 points.
• Zuby Ejiofor led five Red Storm players in double figures with 18 points.
• The Bulldogs were led by Finley Bizjack and his game-high 21 points.
 
The Series with St. John's
• The Bulldogs and St. John's first met in the 1958 NIT.
• Twenty-seven (27) of the 28 match-ups in the all-time series have come since Butler joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2013-14 season.
• Eight of Butler's 11 wins in the series have come at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
The Series: St. John's leads, 17-11
Streak: St. John's, W7
At SJU: St. John's leads, 9-3
First Meeting: March 13, 1958; St. John's, 78-68 (NIT; MSG)
Last Meeting: Jan. 6, 2026; St. John's, 84-70 (at BU)
 
Up Next
Butler returns home to host Georgetown Saturday afternoon.