Find My Work!

Senior guard Posh Alexander had 21 points in a loss to Xavier on Jan. 16. Photo by Jonathan Wang. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team returns to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Jan. 20 to take on DePaul in a Big East matchup. Butler looks to improve their record to 12-7 after back-to-back losses to Seton Hall and Xavier. The Bulldogs sit at ninth in the conference with a conference record of 2-5, only ahead of Georgetown and DePaul. Butler grabbed a statement win on the road against no.12 Marquette but have struggled to gain consistency to stack wins together. The Dawgs now turn their focus to the Blue Demons of DePaul, who sit at the bottom of the Big East standings. Here is what you need to know as Butler takes on DePaul. Who: Butler vs. DePaul When: Jan. 20, 4 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS1, WXNT 1430 AM Getting back on track This matchup against DePaul could not come at a better time for this Butler squad. After knocking off Marquette on the road, the Bulldogs dropped two games to Seton Hall and Xavier, both of which were winnable games. For a team with NCAA Tournament hopes, they need a win desperately to stay in the race. Pierre Brooks and Posh Alexander have been the consistent performers on offense so far. Since the beginning of the conference schedule, Brooks has averaged 15.9 points per game, with Alexander pouring in 11.6 points per game. DJ Davis has also contributed on the offensive end with 13 points per game, but has been hot or cold in recent contests. The defensive side is where Butler has struggled the most. In four of their five conference losses, the Dawgs have given up 80 or more points. They rank 222nd in total scoring defense this season. Rebounding on the defensive end has also remained an issue. Butler has been outrebounded in every conference game this season except against Georgetown. The good news for Bulldogs fans is that most of the games Butler lost they were close in. It came down to a few scoring runs, defensive lapses or lack of fouling that led to the Dawgs losing those games. This is an “almost” team right now, but they have the opportunity to take a step in the right direction against DePaul. DePaul scouting report The Blue Demons have a 3-14 record and are 0-6 in conference play. They are currently on a five game losing streak heading back to late December. In that span, DePaul’s offense has not eclipsed 70 points once. The Blue Demons’ main offensive threat is graduate student Chico Carter Jr.. The 6’2 guard is averaging 11.8 points per game on 43.6% shooting from the field. Carter Jr. also has the second best three point shooting percentage on the team, hitting on 37.5% of his shots from beyond the arc. Butler has struggled this season to contain guards, so they need to make sure they do not let Carter Jr. get going. Another contributor for DePaul is senior Jeremiah Oden. The 6’6 forward averages 9.8 points per game and grabs 4.1 rebounds a game as well. Oden is a dual threat who can get to the rim but also hurt you from deep. He shoots 37.9% from three and is also second on the team in blocks. He will match up well with Jahmyl Telfort and Brooks, so watch out for those battles. DePaul will be looking to grab their first conference win of the season, so expect a hungry Blue Demons team to show up to Hinkle.

The Columbus Crew finished the 2023 season on top of Major League Soccer, besting LAFC 2-1 to become the 2023 MLS Cup champions. The Black & Gold jumped out to a 1-0 lead courtesy of a penalty kick from forward Cucho Hernandez before wing back Yaw Yeboah doubled Columbus’ lead only minutes later. In the second half, the Crew still went at LAFC, but the visitors pulled a goal back with 13 minutes left to go in the game. The Black & Gold were able to hold on in the end, winning their third championship overall and second in four years. Head coach Wilfried Nancy came into this game, as he always does, looking to employ his style of soccer and wanting his players to play freely. Columbus did just that, and for that reason, the team is champions. Let’s dive into some the tactics that went into this MLS Cup Final. Winning the midfield battle The Crew has arguably the best midfield duo in all of MLS, with Darlington Nagbe and Aidan Morris. Going into this final, the Black & Gold knew they needed to win the midfield to knock off LAFC. Both Nagbe and Morris were massive in doing so, but they were not the whole reason Columbus won in the center of the park. LAFC played in a 4-3-3 formatch in this match with Carlos Vela as a false 9, hoping to catch the Crew in transition. The visitors played with three midfielders to create a numbers advantage in the middle, but the Balck & Gold adjusted to ensure that did not happen. The key to winning the midfield was pushing up outside center backs Steven Moreira and Malte Amundsen. Both defenders stepped forward into the midfield when Columbus had possession to provide support and additional attacking options. Moreira slid to the right beside Nagbe, while Amundsen went the left beside Morris. Not only did this grant the Crew the numbers advantage, but it also helped the Black & Gold counter press LAFC. Because Amundsen and Moreira were positioned outside of Nagbe and Morris, the two central midfielders could press LAFC more freely. This was evident by the amount of recoveries Morris had in the game, and why LAFC lacked possession in the first half. The additional two players in midfield, along with Nagbe and Morris’ smooth play and calm on-ball play, led to Columbus’ domination in the midfield. This made LAFC back off, which led to the Crew’s two goals in the first half. It was yet another sparkling performance by the midfield duo but also showcased Nancy’s willingness to get after the game. The Black & Gold often had all 10 field players in the opposing half, applying pressure as much as possible. With Moreira and Amundsen sliding into the midfield, Columbus overcame LAFC’s 4-3-3. The Crew’s structure setting up Yeboah’s goal How the Black & Gold set up formationally played a massive role in Yeboah scoring the second goal. All season, Columbus has preferred to attack down the right flank. Typically, it was to get Mohamed Farsi or Julian Gressel into good crossing areas. But in the MLS Cup playoffs, it has been more to help Farsi run at defenders. The Crew overloaded the right side by shifting the entire formation to that side of the field. Nagbe and Morris slid into that half of the field, leaving Amundsen as the pivot point to switch the ball to Yeboah. At times, though, Yeboah went higher up the field as a winger to try and exploit gaps on the backside of the defense. Those gaps that the Ghanaian tried to exploit do not exist naturally. They need to be opened by other areas of the pitch, leading to the need to overload the right side. Option A is always to combine down that right side through overloads and create scoring chances. Option B is to find Yeboah on the left and let him go one-on-one against an outside defender with no help. Then there is option C, which is what gave the Black & Gold a 2-0 lead heading into halftime. Columbus had possession on the right but was forced to drop the ball back to Amundsen on the left side. Yeboah remained higher up the field like a winger but noticed that LAFC defender Jesus Murillo had jumped out of position to mark Alexandru Matan. With the Crew’s overload causing LAFC’s defense to be unbalanced, Yeboah slipped in behind defender Ryan Hollingshead to get on the end of an inch-perfect pass from Amundsen. In the blink of an eye, the Black & Gold went up 2-0, designed by their formational overload. Where does the Crew go from here? Heading into the offseason, there are not many question marks for Columbus. The main core from the 2023 team will return minus a few pieces. Gressel leaving will be the most significant departure, but Crew fans can expect Farsi to assume that starting role again after his performance in the MLS Cup playoffs. If there was one starting position on the pitch in question, it would have to be the attacking midfielder role. Matan played very well this season after a rough start to his MLS career with one goal and eleven assists in 31 games. He added another goal and an assist in the playoffs as well. While Matan played well, there is room to upgrade that role. With president and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko at the helm, this team is always looking to improve and may do so by adding another multifaceted attacking midfielder to breed competition and apply depth. As for the rest of the squad, it seems like most players will return. There are not as many question marks as last offseason, but the Crew will look to beef up the roster ahead of the many competitions the Black & Gold will play in. Not every player is a perfect fit for Nancy’s system, so finding the right players is paramount. This means finding players who are comfortable being uncomfortable because playing the way Nancy wants is a tough task.

Senior guard Posh Alexander scored 21 points against California. Photo by Elle Rotter. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team returns to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Dec. 15 to matchup against Saginaw Valley State (SVSU). The Dawgs look to improve their record to 9-2 on the season before opening up their Big East schedule against Georgetown. The Bulldogs are coming off of a double overtime victory over California 97-90. The Dawgs were led by seniors Posh Alexander and Jahmyl Telfort who combined for 41 points. This was Butler’s fifth straight victory. The Dawgs now set their sights on the Cardinals of Saginaw Valley State, a NCAA Division II school out of Michigan. Here is what you need to know as Butler takes on Saginaw Valley State. Who: Butler vs. Saginaw Valley State When: Dec. 15, 7 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS1, WXNT 1430 AM Preparing to head into the Big East schedule Butler’s matchup with SVSU is the final non-conference matchup of the season before the Dawgs will head into the Big East slate. This game will prove to be useful for Thad Matta and the Bulldogs to work out some of the mishaps Butler has been committing. After the overtime victory against Texas Tech, the Dawgs did not put in convincing performances against Buffalo and California. Against the Bulls, Butler allowed Buffalo to cut into the Bulldogs’ 24 point lead to bring the game within five points with three minutes to go. Against California, it took Butler two overtimes to stave off the 3-5 Bears. While both games resulted in victories, those games did not showcase the performance that the Bulldogs wanted to have. In a tough conference like the Big East, playing at that level will not yield many positive results. That is why this game against the Cardinals will be important in the long run, to work out some issues that the Dawgs have. This matchup against SVSU will more than likely end up as a huge victory for Butler, but it also will allow rotation players to get more gametime under their belt. Depth will be a huge component heading into conference play, so the Bulldogs will always look for opportunities to get their depth pieces in the game. Saginaw Valley State scouting report The Cardinals are a NCAA Division II school that competes in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). SVSU is 6-3 on the year and was on a six game winning streak before they lost their last game to Northern Michigan. Their banner win this season came against a no. 5 ranked University of Indianapolis squad. The player to watch for SVSU is redshirt junior guard Toodles Seal. Seal is averaging 17 points per game and shooting 51.5% from the field. From downtown Seal is only hitting on 25% of his attempts, so the Bulldogs will have to limit his ability to get into the paint if they want him to have a quiet night. Another player to look out for is junior guard Freddie McIntosh. McIntosh averages 14.7 points and 31.9 minutes per game. He will be the long range threat for the Cardinals, as he hits on 38.2% of his shots from beyond the arc. This Saginaw Valley State team is led by their guards, which has been a problem for the Butler defense so far this season. These are the games where we need to see improvement from the Bulldogs, especially against competition from a lower division.

The Columbus Crew was victorious in the Hell is Real Derby in the Eastern Conference Final, defeating FC Cincinnati 3-2. Cincinnati went up 2-0 in the first half at TQL Stadium thanks to a Brandon Vazquez strike and Lucho Acosta freekick before giving up two goals to the Black & Gold in the second 45 minutes. After 90 minutes, the teams couldn’t be separated, but substitute Christian Ramirez fired in the game-winning goal to send Columbus to the MLS Cup Final. It was a back-and-forth game that was mostly dominated by the Crew but was made interesting by Cincinnati’s ability to counterattack. In the end, head coach Wilfried Nancy’s side found the goals to put the Black & Gold through to the championship game, but not without some tweaks along the way. Let’s dive into the tactical changes and decisions that shaped this game for the Black & Gold. The decision to start Alexandru Matan and Mohamed Farsi A recurring theme in the MLS Cup playoffs has been the inclusion of Mohamed Farsi into the starting lineup at wing back. After the acquisition of Julian Gressel in the summer transfer window, Farsi’s minutes diminished in favor of the new signing. Gressel brought a different component to the team in terms of experience and crossing ability but was left out of the starting 11 for the last three games. This decision took Columbus fans a little by surprise. Farsi is a good, young player, but the playoffs are a big stage, and many would think Gressel would be the clear choice to start at right wing back. Farsi and Gressel are different players and offer differing skill sets. The call to start the Canadian in the past few playoff games came down to his pace, quickness and constant running. Against teams that are electric in attack, such as Atlanta United, Orlando City SC and Cincinnati, recovery defense was key for the Crew. Because the Black & Gold like to press so high, the wing backs are required to run the length of the field to contribute to the offensive and defensive game. The simple fact of the matter is that Farsi is a quicker, more agile player than Gressel and is able to get up and down the field quicker. This came at a cost because it eliminated the elite crossing ability of Gressel. Without Ramirez in the game from the start, the crossing ability of Gressel is diminished, which is why Alexandru Matan and Farsi go hand in hand. The choice to play Matan is easier to make than Farsi. The Romanian attacking midfielder has played a large number of games for Columbus this season, taking over the No. 10 role after Lucas Zelarayan left. In this game, Matan’s role was to help aid in the buildup as a pure attacking midfielder. His role throughout the season has been to stay up with forwards Cucho Hernandez and Diego Rossi to aid in the attack, but to help beat Cincinnati’s press, he dropped deeper to gain a numerical advantage in the midfield. Not starting a dangerous player in Ramirez is not easy, especially when he has scored in such big moments for the Crew. The reality right now, however, is that he is better coming off the bench as a super substitute and forcing other teams to adjust to his style of play rather than being prepared for him at the start. Ramirez and Gressel are a package deal. One of the best crossers in MLS paired up with one of the most prominent aerial threats is a force to be reckoned with. The thing is that Nancy does not want his team just to rely on crossing the ball into the penalty box. He wants them to build up, keep possession and then combine to find those scoring chances, which is why Matan and Farsi have started. What did Nancy change in the second half? The first half did not go according to the plan for the Black & Gold. Vazquez opened the scoring for Cincinnati and Acosta added a second on the stroke of halftime. The first change Nancy made in the second half was having Matan and Rossi drop into midfield more often. A lot of Cincinnati’s chances came off of giveaways by Columbus defenders and midfielders, so adding Rossi and Matan into the mix gave the Crew a numbers advantage. The second change was substituting Ramirez and Gressel in for central midfielder Aidan Morris and Farsi. Taking of Morris was an indication that the Black & Gold were going all in for the game. The young midfielder had a decent game, but Columbus needed some extra juice going forward. On offense, the Crew still played in a 3-2-5, but Matan stayed higher as a true attacking midfielder. When needed, Matan dropped in alongside central midfielder Darlington Nagbe to help keep possession or defend. That freed up space for Rossi or Ramirez to drop in and help build up. 3-2-5 formation that Columbus played in the second half against Cincinnati In attack, right center back Steven Moreira moved alongside Nagbe to put more pressure on the Cincinnati defense. This left only central defenders Rudy Camacho and Malte Amundsen back on defense, but it was a necessary risk given the score line. The Black & Gold also went back to favoring and overloading the right side of the pitch. The introduction of Gressel onto that right side meant Columbus shifted to that side to try and spring him. Hernandez stayed high and roamed around the attacking end of the pitch, trying to get in the blind spot of the defenders. These little changes in the playstyle resulted in three unanswered goals for the Crew and a trip to the MLS Cup Final. In a season where he has been criticized for in-game decisions, Nancy managed this game well to come back from a two-goal deficit.

Junior forward Pierre Brooks scored 17 points against Buffalo on Dec. 5. Photo by Andrew Buckley. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team takes the court on Dec. 9 in Hinkle Fieldhouse against Pac-12 opponent California looking to improve to 8-2 on the year. This is the third straight home game for the Dawgs. The Bulldogs are coming off an unconvincing victory over a 1-8 Buffalo squad where they beat the Bulls 72-59. Butler would take the win, but the team struggled in portions of the match against one of the worst teams in the nation. The Dawgs will now prepare to take on the 3-5 Golden Bears, who will pose a tougher threat than Buffalo. Here is what you need to know as Butler hosts Cal. Who: Butler vs. California When: Dec. 9, 12 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS1, WXNT 1430 AM Bouncing back after a tough outing Butler’s game against Buffalo was a tough game to watch from a Bulldog perspective. Both teams were cold on the offensive end to start out the game, but started to find their rhythm later in the first half. The Bulldogs got out to a narrow lead and just kept the Bulls at arms length to go into the half up nine points. In the second half, the Dawgs jumped out to a 24 point lead. The offense was clicking on all cylinders and the defense limited Buffalo to just five points in the first six minutes of the half. From there it went downhill, as Butler allowed the Bulls to chisel their lead to only five points with three and a half minutes to go. Luckily, down the stretch the Bulldogs were able to make more plays and close out the game. Led by Jalen Thomas’ double double and Jahmyl Telfort’s 18 points, Butler was able to escape with the win. The Dawgs shot only 44.8% from the field and 20.8% from three against a team that is ranked 354th out of 362 Division I teams. A narrow win against inferior competition is not going to cut it in the long run for the Bulldogs. They will need a better performance if they want to beat a more competitive Cal. California scouting report The Golden Bears are a member of the Pac-12 conference and sit at 3-5 on the year. Three out of their five losses on the season were only by three points. Their most recent game was against last year’s NCAA runner up San Diego State, who they lost to by nine points in overtime. Last season Cal was 3-29 and lost to Butler 82-58 at home. All five starters in that game for the Bulldogs scored in double digits, although none of them remain on this season’s roster. Sophomore forward Connor Turnbull is the only current Dawg who played in that game. He totaled three minutes on the night. The player to watch for California is junior guard Jaylon Tyson. The 6’7” Texas Tech transfer is averaging 20.4 points per game on 47.1% shooting. Tyson’s size and ability to shoot from beyond the arc will give Butler defenders a handful to deal with. The Bulldogs had trouble keeping tabs on the guards for Buffalo, so this matchup is one to watch. Another contributor for the Golden Bears is sixth year forward Fardaws Aimaq. The 6’11” Canadian averages 16.5 points and ten rebounds per game. He has only made four three pointers all year, so expect him to do most of his work in the paint. Aimaq spent time at Mercer and Utah Valley before transferring to Texas Tech last year. At TTU he appeared in only 11 games due to injury. Cal will prove to be a tougher game than Buffalo, so the Bulldogs better come prepared. This is a bounce back game for Butler, looking to improve on their record before they head into Big East play.

Jahmyl Telfort scored 26 points in Butler’s win over Texas Tech on Nov. 30. Photo by Andrew Buckley. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team looks to improve to 7-2 tomorrow as they take on Buffalo in Hinkle Fieldhouse. This is the second of a five game home stretch for Butler. The Bulldogs are coming off a huge victory against Texas Tech (TTU) where they bested the Red Raiders in overtime 103-95. It was a tightly contested game that was highlighted by the big shots by Butler’s offense and TTU’s ability to shoot from deep. Ultimately the Dawgs pulled away in overtime to take the spoils. The Bulldogs now have their sights set on the Bulls of Buffalo, who come to Hinkle with a dismal 1-7 record this season. Here is what you need to know as Butler faces off against Buffalo. Who: Butler vs. Buffalo When: Dec. 5, 8:30 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS1, WXNT 1430 AM Offensive efficiency and improvement One of the biggest changes this season is how well the Dawgs’ offense has been able to generate points. Butler currently is 40th in the nation when it comes to scoring offense, averaging 83.4 points per game, up from last season’s average of 65.3. The main reason for this uptick is the influx of quality transfers into the program. Additions like DJ Davis, Jahmyl Telfort and Pierre Brooks are proving their worth on the offensive end of the floor. Each one of them is averaging over double digits in points per game, and all have field goal percentages above 42%. In the game against Texas Tech, Butler shot 54.5% from the field and 44.4% from three, scoring 103 points on the way to an eight point victory. The Bulldogs are averaging a 48.6% field goal percentage this season, a slight improvement from last season when they averaged 43.6%. While the offensive improvement is noticeable, so is Butler’s win total. Through eight games last season, the Dawgs were 5-3. A one win improvement is not a lot, but it is the fashion in which Butler won these games that is impressive. These early season wins are giving the fanbase hope and drawing even more people to pack Hinkle. Buffalo scouting report Buffalo is part of the Mid-American Conference and is currently 1-7 on the year. Last season they were 15-17, getting knocked out of the MAC Tournament by Akron in the quarterfinal. The Bulls’ lone win on the season came against Roberts Wesleyan on Nov. 15, but since then they have been on a five game losing streak. The player to watch for Buffalo is fifth-year Sy Chatman. The 6’8” forward is averaging 15.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game this season, leading the team in scoring. The height of Chatman can pose a challenge for Brooks and Telfort to deal with, but with a lack of offensive options for the Bulls, the Dawgs should be able to manage. Another contributor for Buffalo is senior Isaiah Adams. The 6’6” forward averages 11.8 points per game and can be a factor opposite of Chatman. Adams began his career at UCF before transferring to Buffalo for his junior year. He was the only player for the Bulls to start all 32 games last season. The key for Butler will be dealing with Buffalo’s size. They have some forwards and centers who can pose a threat on the glass if the Bulldogs have a bad day boxing out. The Dawgs should win this game handedly, but winning the rebound battle is the first step to grabbing the victory. These are the games that Butler has to win if they want to be playing in late March. If they continue to stack victories, they will be in good shape heading into the Big East portion of their schedule.

Senior forward Jahmyl Telfort had 15 points in the loss to Michigan State. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team fell to Michigan State (MSU), falling to 3-1 on the season. The Spartans handled the Bulldogs easily, winning 74-54. This is the first loss for the Dawgs after winning their first three games at home. Butler’s hot shooting start came to an end in East Lansing, shooting a dismal 28.8% from the field. Before tonight the Bulldogs were shooting 50% from the field and averaging 88.7 points per game. The level of opposition was not on the same level as MSU, but shooting that poorly will not win games at any level. Senior forward Jahmyl Telfort led the Dawgs in scoring with 15 points but only shot 33% from the field. The only other Bulldog who scored in double digits was junior guard Pierre Brooks with 13 points. On the other hand, MSU was led by graduate Tyson Walker’s 21 point explosion. Butler was able to hang around for the opening part of the first half, but ultimately made too many mistakes which allowed the Spartans to pull away. At halftime Michigan State led by 12 and never looked back. From there it was smooth sailing for MSU, cruising to a 20 point victory. Butler was never able to get a foothold in this game, opting to play most of their starters for a majority of the game. Rotation was a big key in the first three games for the Dawgs, but that was not the case tonight. Sputtering offense sinks the Dawgs If there’s a glaring issue from this game: the Butler offense. Even in the opening moments when the Bulldogs were hanging around, the offensive end of the floor looked disjointed and filled with mistakes. The most glaring problem was the shooting. The Dawgs hit only 15 out of 52 attempts to shoot only 28.8% from the field. The only player who seemed to get going on the offensive end was Telfort, but Michigan State’s defense did a good job of shutting the rest of the team down. Shot selection was also something that was lacking. Out of Butler’s 52 shots, they took 25 attempts from beyond the arc. Even worse, only seven of them found the bottom of the net. For a team that shoots that many threes, that percentage is not going to help them beat a team like MSU. Outside of the scoring issues, the team just looked rusty on the offensive end. Michigan State was quick on defense which seemed to take the Dawgs by surprise. This led to misplaced passes, poor ball handling and unfruitful offensive possessions. Of the 64 possessions Butler had, they only scored on 24 of them. Every team will have games like this, especially a team that is only returning three players. This was a wake up call to the Bulldogs, pointing out some things they need to work on to compete with the bigger programs again. This squad still has a lot of promise, but these next few games are going to test them. Lack of rotation Up until tonight coach Thad Matta has kept a philosophy of high rotation and going “ten deep” into his bench. The Bulldogs had ten players touch the court tonight, but not with the usual rotation that fans are used to. First off, Butler’s starters racked up significant minutes. Telfort, Brooks and senior guard Posh Alexander all played upwards of 30 minutes on the night, followed closely by senior guard DJ Davis with 29 minutes. Fifth year center Jalen Thomas started but only played 16 minutes total. There was still heavy rotation at the center position, with senior center Andre Screen and first-year center Boden Kapke getting time in the double digits. An absent member on the night was sophomore Connor Turnbull, who only saw the court for two minutes. First-year guard Finley Bizjack and sophomore guard Landon Moore both came off the bench, but only had three points total between the two of them. The Dawgs bench as a whole contributed ten points, too small of a total for a team who wants to go deep into their bench. This top-heavy rotation can be explained by the competition. Michigan State is a harder team than any of the first three teams Butler played, so the starters getting a bulk of the minutes is not a huge surprise. Despite this, the Bulldogs still need to be able to rely on their bench when they need them, and tonight they could not. Butler returns to action on Nov. 23 against Florida Atlantic in the first game of the ESPN Events Invitational.

First-year Norah Jacomen led the Bulldogs with nine goals this past season. Photo by Delaney Hudson. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu One year ago, Norah Jacomen was midway through her senior year at Hardin Valley Academy in Knoxville, Tennessee. Today, the first-year midfielder is an integral part of the women’s soccer program at Butler and has already taken the Big East by storm. Jacomen played in all 20 games this season as a first year, starting in 19 of the contests. She registered a team-high nine goals and finished third in the Big East in scoring, something that co-head coach Rob Alman knew she could do from the start of her career as a Bulldog. “She’s a fantastic finisher,” Alman said. “Just a deadly finisher in and around the box and some of the finishes this year [have been] top level goals. Really good composure in those moments especially for a young player.” Those “deadly finishes” are something that Alman noticed a few years back, when the Butler coaching staff began evaluating Jacomen. Ranked as the number six player in the South Region, Jacomen was a prized recruit for the Bulldog program and Alman’s coaching staff. “[She’s] one of those players that the first time we saw her play, we were like [wow],” Alman said. “There’s something about her. That attacking mentality and mindset is pretty hard to find.” That mindset won over the coaches, and eventually landed Jacomen at Butler. Despite her extensive experience in high school soccer and Elite Club National League, there was still a learning curve when it came to adapting to Division I college soccer. Even though she excelled in her first season, Jacomen recognized that there is a jump from high school to college. “The speed of play was really fast,” Jacomen said. “You’re playing with really good players, and they’re really good at getting the ball off their feet. I think that was a lot different than what I was used to, but I think by the first month when you start getting into games, you can adjust to it a little bit.” Jacomen adjusted quickly and became a starter by just the second game of the season. From there, she led the team in goals, shots, shots on goal and points. Her performance not only caught the attention of people around Butler, but also around the entire Big East. She was voted Big East Freshman of Week three times and ultimately was named Big East Freshman of the Year as well as All-Big East Third Team. “[Big East Freshman of the Year] was something that I obviously really wanted to try and work for,” Jacomen said. “And I did have my team around me. That really did encourage me. They would tell me, ‘Oh we want you to win Big East Freshman of the Year’ … so I think that’s something I had always in the back of my head.” The award was handed out to a member of the Butler women’s soccer program for the second straight year — sophomore midfielder Talia Sommer won it after the 2022 season. As a former Big East Freshman of the Year recipient and a member of the All-Big East First team this season, Sommer has high praise for her teammate. “I’d say she’s fierce,” Sommer said. “She’s someone to be scared of. If I was a center back on the other team, I’d be scared. It’s such a great tool to have a player like Norah that you know when the ball gets to that position, there is a great chance for a goal. It gives a lot of calmness and confidence to her teammates.” A promising young crop of players led by Jacomen and Sommer has set the Bulldogs up for an exciting future. After sneaking into the Big East Tournament this year before crashing out against UConn, the squad is looking forward to next year and the challenges ahead. Alman knows that his team is only getting hungrier for titles, and younger players like Jacomen excelling so early in their career is paramount for the program. “Pushing on in terms of competing for championships in the Big East is always a goal, and having those players that want to achieve that is important,” Alman said. “There’s a drive there from those players and ultimately chasing a bid into the NCAA Tournament. From a competitive standpoint those players want those things.” Despite the individual achievements in her impressive first season, Jacomen knows there is room for improvement. She is not resting on her accomplishments; she wants to get better as an individual and as a team. “I think I’m really looking forward to learning more about the game,” Jacomen said. “Also, just taking what the coaches have taught me over the past couple months and using it to produce even more than I did last season.” Production is one thing. Having a community of support is another. Luckily for Jacomen and the rest of the Bulldog soccer team, there is a balance of both that anyone can see. Jacomen did not downplay how important that aspect of college soccer is, especially having a support system from your teammates. “I think having that connection is really important for how we play,” Jacomen said. “We’ll still hold each other accountable for things, but it’s all positive, and it’s all for good meaning.” With her first season under her belt, Jacomen will take the accolades and statistics in stride, but with time another season will roll around, and it will be time to start again. The star-studded first year does not show signs of contentment or satisfaction with her game. She simply wants to be the best she can and help bring Butler championships. “We’re focusing on moving forward and getting better,” Alman said. “[Jacomen is] ready to just get back to work … and really just existing in the same place that she has been so far, which is ‘how do I help my team the most?’ If she stays committed to that, I think there’s a really bright future for her.”

Senior guard DJ Davis scored 15 points in the win over East Tennessee State on Nov. 13. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team defeated East Tennessee State (ETSU) handily 81-47 at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Nov. 13. The Bulldogs are now 3-0 to start the season after three blowout victories. Butler has been able to win games while excelling at different aspects in each contest. The squad has shown consistent improvement over these first three games despite facing inferior competition. Senior guard DJ Davis led the way with a team-high 15 points on 66% shooting. Davis added five rebounds, four assists and a steal on the night. Senior guard Posh Alexander had yet another strong performance, scoring 13 points while dishing out four assists. He also brought in two steals on a night where the Bulldogs had seven as a team. After jumping out to a huge lead in the first half, the bench players got significant playing time throughout the rest of the game. Sophomore guard Landon Moore bounced back from a rough past game and scored 12 points, all off of three pointers. Sophomore forward Connor Turnbull had seven points on the night and accounted for all of Butler’s six blocks. Stifling defense leads into explosive offense Both teams started off slow from an offensive standpoint and the game remained close for the first eight minutes. That is when the Butler offense woke up and went on a scoring spree, creating a 25 point lead by halftime. This run was spurred on by a string of ETSU turnovers forced by Butler’s defense. The Bucs turned over the ball 13 times in the first half, which led the Bulldogs to capitalize on the offensive end. Butler scored 26 points off of ETSU turnovers in the first half alone, which allowed them to create the gap. Coach Thad Matta emphasized the importance that the defense has in creating transition opportunities. “We talk to our guys about [how] really good teams score off of their defense,” Matta said. “I thought our guys did a really good job tonight with what we thought East Tennessee State was going to do.” What ETSU did was shoot 31% from the field and turn the ball over 19 times on the road to losing by 34. Those extra possessions that Butler’s defense forced resulted in 36 points and a blowout victory in front of the home crowd. The Bulldogs will have to repeat this total team effort of offense and defense on Friday if they want to beat Michigan State. ETSU was a test, but Michigan State will really show what this Butler team is made of. Consistent scoring from the starters and leaning on depth Of the Bulldogs’ five starters tonight, four of them finished with double digits in the scoring column. When thinking about this team compared to last year, that is a huge jump. Last season Butler had to lean heavily on the shoulders of Jayden Taylor and Manny Bates to put points on the board. If those two did not get going, the likelihood of a Bulldog victory decreased. The starters this year have consistently contributed and have done a good job of picking up the slack when one of their teammates is having a hard night. This offseason, Matta went into the portal and found guys that can score and play team basketball on the offensive end. The ability to go ten guys deep into the bench is something the coaching staff has utilized early in the season. It showed tonight, with Butler going ten deep in the first half. Matta highlighted how important depth will be as the season goes on. “When you come into the game, you gotta give us something,” Matta said. “You gotta give us energy, gotta give us rebounding. You know it’s funny, you think about this time last year we didn’t have ten guys.” Butler will need to lean on their depth going into the next few games against tougher competition. First on the slate is a matchup at Michigan State on Nov. 17. That game is followed by a trip down to Florida for the ESPN Events Invitational, where the Dawgs will face off against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 23.

The Dawgs won their first regular season game on Nov. 6 against Eastern Michigan. Photo by Andrew Buckley. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team returns to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Nov. 10 for a matchup against Southeast Missouri State. The Dawgs are looking to improve to 2-0 after winning their first regular season matchup against Eastern Michigan (EMU) 94-55. Butler started out slow against EMU, allowing the Eagles to hang around until they pulled away in the second half to win by 39 points. After getting their first taste of Division I competition in the 2023-24 season, the Bulldogs have shifted their focus to the Redhawks of Southeast Missouri State. Who: Butler vs. Southeast Missouri State When: Nov. 10, 8:30 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS2/WXNT 1430 AM One game under the belt Butler’s game against Eastern Michigan (EMU) was a tale of two halves. In the first half, EMU was able to hang around due to lackluster shooting by the Bulldogs. Going into halftime, the Dawgs only led by eight points but eventually hit their stride later in the half. The second half was when it all came together for Butler. The Bulldogs outscored the Eagles 60-29, led by Jahmyl Telfort’s 18 points and Pierre Brooks who added 16 more. The Dawgs had 10 players contribute to the score — six of them scored double figures. One offensive category they will have to improve is shooting from deep. Butler shot a dismal 27.3% from three in the game, hitting six out of their 22 shots. Those numbers will likely improve as the team plays together more, but a bad shooting night can make an easy game become tight. Butler had one major problem throughout the night: rebounds. The Eagles pulled down 12 offensive rebounds which posed a problem for the Bulldogs early on when the score was tight. Luckily for the Dawgs, Eastern Michigan cooled down and only shot 32.2% from the field after their hot start, which allowed Butler to build up a lead. This is still a very new team with lots of new faces. Until they have more playing time under their belt against Division I opponents, the Dawgs will continue to be up and down at times. Southeast Missouri State scouting report The Redhawks are a part of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), a Division I conference that consists of teams from Illinois, Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas and Missouri. The men’s basketball team went 19-17 last season and went on to win the OVC Tournament to gain a spot in the NCAA Tournament. They crashed out of the tournament in the First Four to Texas A&M Corpus Christi, ending their season. The Redhawks lost their three top scorers from last season in Phillip Russell, Chris Harris and Israel Barnes. The key returner is Josh Earley, who averaged 7.7 points and 5.1 rebounds last season in the magical run to the NCAA Tournament. Another player to watch out for will be TJ Biel, a 6’7” guard who averaged 9.3 points last season at Triton College. The focus for the Bulldogs defense will be chasing the Redhawks off the three point line. Southeast Missouri State shot from beyond the arc on 39.9% of their shots last season. If they come out hot and Butler can not defend the perimeter, it could be a closer game than many might think. This will be another early-season test for Butler as they continue to build chemistry before the bigger matchups they have coming up. The Redhawks made it to the big dance last year, so they should not be overlooked.

Pierre Brooks had 14 points against Franklin College on Nov. 1. Photo by Delaney Hudson. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team will be back in action at Hinkle Fieldhouse Nov. 6 as they take on Eastern Michigan. This is the first official game the Dawgs will play this season after winning two exhibition games against Ohio Northern and Franklin College. Butler took down the Polar Bears 78-46 in the first exhibition game and dominated the Grizzlies 91-54 in the second. With the exhibitions over, the Dawgs shift their focus to getting the first real win of the season. Here’s what you need to know before Butler takes on the Eastern Michigan Eagles. Who: Butler vs. Eastern Michigan When: Nov. 6, 8 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS1/WXNT 1430 AM Where was the three point shooting? In a game where Butler shot 54.7% from the field and 87.5% from the free throw line, the Dawgs were only able to hit on 25% of their three point shots. While it is not time to panic, the lack of production from the three point line against a Division III opponent is a bump in the road. After an offseason where Thad Matta went after shooters like DJ Davis and Pierre Brooks in the portal, the three point conversion rate will have to be better down the stretch. The Dawgs made up for the lack of production by shooting well from the field, but it will be something to watch as the season kicks off and progresses. It is still early and the team is still learning how to play with each other. With time and practice those numbers should go up, but it is a worrying stat to see for the coaching staff, especially considering the opposition. Eastern Michigan scouting report The Eastern Michigan Eagles are a member of the Mid-American Conference. They finished last season at 8-23 overall. The Eagles performed decently at home, going 6-7, but struggled on the road, going only 2-13. The key loss for Eastern Michigan is guard Emoni Bates. Bates left the Eagles after last season to enter the NBA Draft, where he was picked in the second round by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bates led the team last season in points, averaging 19.2 a game, and rebounds, averaging 5.8 a game. The player to watch out for will be junior guard Tyson Acuff. Acuff averaged 14.3 points last season and was named Second-Team Preseason All-MAC. His breakout game last season was against Toledo, where he dropped 36 points on the Rockets. Acuff shoots a solid 36.5% from three, so the Dawgs will have to be vigilant to chase him off the three point line. Eastern Michigan will prove to be a solid early season test for Butler, given that they will be the first Division I program they play. The good news is regular season Butler basketball is back from now until March

The Columbus Crew split the team’s last two games. The Crew won at home 2-0 against a dismal Toronto FC squad before going on the road to fall 2-0 to the Houston Dynamo in the Texas heat. Despite head coach Wilfried Nancy rotating his team for the game in Houston, the Black & Gold used similar tactics in both games. The style of play in both matches yielded different results. Let’s dive into what tactical choices Nancy made. A fluid front three With the addition of forward Diego Rossi, Columbus is more versatile in the attacking half than before. When midfielder Lucas Zelarayan played, he was a true No. 10 with forwards Cucho Hernandez and Christian Ramirez playing as No. 9s. Hernandez dropped deeper at ties and had a sense of free roaming to his game, but it was a more structured front three. With Rossi now inserted into the lineup, the attacking front three has become more fluid. The Uruguayan is multi-faceted and can play as a striker, attacking midfielder or winger if needed. Nancy has allowed his attackers to have a sense of freedom about their positioning, with general guidelines on where they start on the pitch. Out of the gate against Toronto, Ramirez and Hernandez started as strikers, with Rossi playing underneath as a No. 10, but that soon changed. Rossi was a bombarding attacking midfielder, meaning he likes to make runs in behind the defense like a striker. Once he vacated the attacking midfielders’ space, Hernandez dropped and picked up the role of a No. 10. Ramirez roamed up top, but was mostly side-to-side instead of dropping deeper like a midfielder. This is why the Black & Gold’s attack was so hard to pin down with these three on the field. Opposing teams can’t lock down one area of the pitch that they think Rossi or Hernandez will be in because the South Americans will just recognize that and move into space. If the Columbus attackers can find the open space, the midfield duo of Darlington Nagbe and Aidan Morris will play to their feet and allow them to either turn or pass quickly. This is why the Crew continues to be exciting and score so many goals. Of course, against Houston with a rotated squad, the Black & Gold lost some of that versatility. Attacking midfielder Alexandru Matan and forward Jacen Russell-Rowe are talented young players, but they are set positionally as a No. 10 and No. 9 respectively. The transition across the pitch to be able to take up different positions has not quite developed for them, which is part of the reason why Columbus struggled on Wednesday. For only being in the first season of the Nancy era, the Crew attack looks as potent as ever. It will only continue to get more dangerous as that front three builds more chemistry. Columbus’ pressing aiding the possession The entire league knows that the Crew loves to have possession. In fact, Columbus leads the league in possession at 57 percent. This high rate of possession helps the Black & Gold create good chances and break an opponent down, but it’s largely due to their press. Columbus is a high-possession team that plays a high defensive line because the team likes to press. This is not an all-out press like the New York Red Bulls, it’s a methodical pressure that makes an opponent sweat. This press starts with the front three. The attackers take away and man mark most of the defenders in a resisted press. This means they will play off by about 19 yards until they get the ball, which at that point the Crew pushes up. Behind these attacker, the two central midfielders mark the cutoff opponents. This typically is the other team’s midfielders. The Black & Gold want to take away any split balls that can make their way into the midfielders. Columbus’ wing backs will push high to mark either the opposing outside backs or dropping wingers. Typically, a lone center back may move up to mark a stray midfielder or winger, leaving two center backs dropped at all times. These two remaining center backs mark the striker. How does this relate to possession? The idea behind the press is to take away all of the opponent’s “comfort options” and force them to play dangerous passes to get out of their defensive half. The Crew takes away the easy, short and split passes as much as the team can and attempts to make the opponent go long to the striker. This worked well against Toronto on Saturday. The Canadian side could not find a sustainable way to play through the Black & Gold’s press, so TF had to play the ball long for the striker. The two center backs marking that striker had a numbers advantage and be able to win the ball. Once Columbus won the ball back, the Crew already had most of their players high up the field from the previous press. Then the Black & Gold can either try to counter quickly while the opposing defense is regrouping or opt to start possessing at a high volume in the attacking half. This press has been the pinnacle of Nancy’s defensive structure. Even though it does have some pitfalls (getting overextended and outnumbered on the break), it has worked really well for Columbus. Steven Moreira, the midfielder Moreira wears many hats for the Crew and has since he came to the Black & Gold. The Frenchman started as a right back but was moved to center back this season in Nancy’s three-center-back system. He is multifaceted, but over the past few games, he moved into the midfield more than he has much of the year. Make no mistake, Moreira’s true position is right center back, but on offense, he regularly moved into the midfield. This could be a result of Columbus going down a goal early in the match against Houston, but this move played a specific role on the offensive side. In a recent tactical review, it was highlighted how Nagbe tends to shift over to the right side to be a connecter to wing back Julian Gressel. Against the Dynamo, Gressel didn’t start, but Moreira bridged the gap between the middle of the field and his replacement, Mohamed Farsi. By Moreira shifting into midfield on the right side, Nagbe was able to step up higher into attacking spaces and be another option on the inside. This left the Crew more vulnerable at the back, but at team has to take risks when chasing the game and Moreira has proven to be an offensive contributor. As the Black & Gold moved higher up the field, so did the Frenchman. At one point, he waited for a cross at the top of the penalty box like an attacking midfielder, This is the brand of soccer Nancy wants to endorse. It’s not positionless, but a free-flowing offensive buildup that varies on the opponent’s condition. If Moreira sees and opening to join the attack, he has full authorization to get up the pitch. It may not happen every week, but Moreira may be hunting for more goals in the future.