Butler carries a two-game winning streak into Wednesday's game at Villanova. This is the second meeting between the teams this season as Villanova took an 85-67 win over Butler Jan. 3 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
Butler Bulldogs (15-13, 6-11 BIG EAST) at rv/rv Villanova (21-6, 12-4)
Wednesday, Feb. 25 • 7PM
Finneran Pavilion; Philadelphia, Pa.
 
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Everything You Want to Know (And Probably More Than Wanted) About the Upcoming Butler-Nova Tip
• The Bulldogs enter the contest off an 80-75 Saturday win over Xavier.
• Michael Ajayi led the Bulldogs with 24 points and nine rebounds against Xavier.
• Yohan Traore scored 21 points against Xavier, his high in a Butler uniform. He connected on a career-best 11 free throws and made all five of his attempts from the field.
• The Bulldogs have matched a season-best with only six turnovers in each of the last two games. Butler has 10 games this season with single-digit turnovers.
• Butler went to the line 33 times against Xavier, making 25. The Bulldogs average 25.8 free throw attempts per game, which ranks 17th nationally. Butler has attempted more free throws than their opponents in 24 of the 28 games this season.
• Butler has out-rebounded 19 of its 28 opponents this season. The Bulldogs have a +3.4 average rebounding margin on the season. Butler out-rebounded Xavier, 35-32, Saturday afternoon. Jamie Kaiser Jr. had eight rebounds against Xavier, the third-best output of his career.
• Butler committed a season-low eight fouls against Xavier Saturday. On the season, the Bulldogs average only 15.4 fouls per game, a mark that is 36th nationally.
• Ajayi ranks fourth nationally with both 16 double-doubles this season and his average of 11.1 rebounds per game.
• Ajayi has led Butler in rebounding in 27 of the team's 28 games this season.
• Ajayi's 312 rebounds currently rank seventh on Butler's single-season list; Daryl Mason holds the record at 354 (1972-73).
• In addition to leading the league in rebounding, Ajayi ranks fifth in the BIG EAST at 16.0 points per game. He is also among the conference Top 15 in minutes played (second), field goal percentage (fifth),  blocked shots (seventh), and assists (13th).
• Butler attempted a season-low 11 three-pointers in Saturday's win over Xavier. The Bulldogs have attempted 15 or fewer three-pointers three times this season, winning all three of those games.
• Butler's 93-89 win at Georgetown Wednesday night was Thad Matta's 500th win as a head coach.
• Finley Bizjack is the BIG EAST's second-leading scorer at 17.5 points per game. He leads the BIG EAST in minutes, averaging 33:36 per game. His 2.3 three-pointers per game also rank fourth in the conference.
• Bizjack has scored 20 or more points in seven of Butler's BIG EAST games this season, including tying his career-high with 30 points Feb. 4 at Providence. Bizjack has 11 20-point games this season.
• Bizjack ranks second in the BIG EAST in free throw shooting at 85.7 percent. In conference games, his percentage jumps to 90.1 percent (91-for-101).
• Wednesday's game at Georgetown was the sixth time this season that Butler has scored more than 90 points. Butler has 15 games scoring 80 or more points this season.
• Efeosa Oliogu-Elabor's 12 points at Georgetown were his second time in double figures in a Bulldog uniform.
• Ten different Bulldogs have scored at least 13 points in at least one game this season.
• Eight different Bulldogs have registered at least five assists in at least one game this season.
 
Mr. 500
• In his 21st season as a head coach, Thad Matta earned his 500th career win Feb. 18 at Georgetown.
• Matta is the 81st head coach all-time (and just the 18th active) to register 500 career men's NCAA Division I wins.
• 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).
 
Volumes on Villanova
• Tyler Perkins (13.8) leads a balanced Wildcats attack that has six players averaging 9.5 or more points per game.
• Duke Brennan averages a double-double of 12.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.
• Villanova makes 9.8 three-pointers per game on 27.3 attempts, both Top 50 nationally.
• Villanova's 10 turnovers per game are the fewest in the BIG EAST.
 
First Time Around
• Visiting Villanova claimed an 85-67 win over Butler Jan. 3 in Indianapolis.
• After Butler held a 33-30 halftime lead, Villanova shot 70 percent from the field and scored 55 points in the second half.
• Bryce Lindsay led five Villanova players in double figures with 18 points.
• Finley Bizjack led Butler with 18 points.
 
Previously with the Wildcats
• The Bulldogs and Villanova first met in the 1996 Puerto Rico Shootout; the other 26 meetings in the series have come since Butler joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2013-14 season.
• Six of Butler's seven wins in the series have come at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
The Series: Villanova leads, 20-7
Streak: Villanova, W4
In Philadelphia: Villanova leads, 11-1
First Meeting: Nov. 30, 1996; Villanova, 62-54 (Puerto Rico Shootout)
Last Meeting: Jan. 3, 2026; Villanova, 85-67 (at BU)
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs have the weekend off before closing out the home portion of the schedule Wednesday, March 4, hosting Creighton.