INDIANAPOLIS — In a wild game of back and forth, Butler Basketball holds on to beat Providence 113-110 in double overtime.
Evan Haywood scored the go-ahead 3-pointer with 35 seconds left in double overtime.
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Michael Ajayi directed Butler (8-2, 1-0 Big East) with 28 points and 15 rebounds.
Here’s what I liked and didn’t like, and what this win means.
What I liked Butler basketball victory against Providence
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It may go unnoticed, but Drayton Jones’ ability to screen the ball high is a huge asset to Butler’s defense. Jones has the foot speed to protect and recover, getting back into position quickly and preventing an entry pass to his man. Jones treats the game at a high level, showing why he said the game was slowing down for him before the Big East Conference game.
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Haywood had an unforgettable match. The Carmel native started the game 4 of 4 with three 3-pointers. His 11 points in the first half were just three shy of his career-high of 14. Haywood quickly proved to be one of the team’s best shooters. If he makes shots, he will continue to get big minutes. Haywood finished with 18 points.
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One match later Boise State used Butler’s pressure defense against him to recover cut after cut, Butler did the same with Providence. Jamie Kaiser Jr. scored on back-to-back cuts in the first half. Finley Bizjack and Azavier “Stink” Robinson also added baskets on back cuts in the first half.
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Ajayi continues to show why he is one of the best two-way players in the Big East. His willingness to dive down the floor and steal the ball from Jason Edwards swung the play in Butler’s direction. His boards and defense throughout the match helped seal the victory.
What I didn’t like about Butler’s victory
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After a strong start on rebounds, Providence won the rebounding battle early. The Friars outscored Butler 19-17 in the first half. The Friars turned seven offensive rebounds into eight second-chance points. Most of the offensive rebounds were on long shots, but the Dawgs needed to do a better job boxing out and recovering the ball.
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Against a team that shoots a high number of 3-pointers, Butler had to do a better job of keeping pace. In the first half, Haywood’s three 3-pointers were the only 3-pointers made by a Butler player. Five brothers scored 3 points in the first half.
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Edwards entered the game as Providence’s leading scorer and it took Butler most of the game to realize it. Edwards has one of the quickest releases in the country, and the Dawgs routinely gave him too much space on the catch, giving him more than enough room to shoot. Kaiser replaced Edwards in the second half, but that was after he had already scored 15 points. Edwards finished with a game-high 32 points.
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Players not named Haywood struggled from 3. Butler shot 10 for 29 from 3, but they made them when it mattered most.
What victory means
It was a victory that Butler had to achieve. The Dawgs came in as home favorites and they did what they had to do to win the game. Beating Providence (7-5, 0-1) will make it easier for the Dawgs to get back in March. The next step in this program is to eliminate the St. John’s and UConn big dogs.
This article was originally published on the Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball score today vs. Providence, Big East game stats, record
