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Senior DJ Davis had 21 points in the loss at UConn on Feb. 6. Photo by Elle Rotter. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team will attempt to get back to winning ways as they take on Providence on Feb. 10. The Bulldogs fell on the road to No. 1 UConn in their last matchup, dropping to 15-8. Butler is tied for sixth in the Big East standings with Providence and St. John’s. The Dawgs fell to the Friars earlier in the season in overtime, 85-75. Here’s what you need to know as Butler takes on Providence. Who: Butler vs. Providence When: Feb. 10, 2 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS1, WXNT 1430 AM Defending home court After the Huskies snapped Butler’s four game win streak on Tuesday, the importance of Saturday’s game against Providence grew larger. Both the Friars and Bulldogs are tied in the Big East standings, so winning this game will give either team a leg up in the race for Big East Tournament seeding. The Dawgs perform significantly better in front of a Hinkle crowd compared to on the road. Butler is 10-2 in home games this season, compared to 3-5 on the road. With five of the eight games remaining being at home, the Bulldogs need to take advantage of their home court advantage. Providence has struggled to find wins away from home, posting a 2-5 record on the road. That being said, the Friars have owned the Bulldogs throughout their history of matchups. Butler has only beaten Providence five times, with the Friars besting the Dawgs in 19 matchups. Regardless of history or home court advantage, Saturday’s matchup could play a major role in how both teams’ seasons turn out. Whoever comes out as the victor will have an advantage heading into the postseason. Providence scouting report The Friars come into this game with a record of 15-8, and 6-6 in conference play. They are tied for sixth in the Big East standings with Butler and St. John’s. The main contributors for Providence are junior Devin Carter and graduate Josh Oduro. Those two players have accounted for 46.3% of the Friars’ total points so far this season. Carter, a 6’3” guard, leads the entire Big East in points per game with 19. His combination of physicality and shooting ability makes him one of the hardest players to defend in the country. He shoots 48.7% from the field and 38.9% from beyond the arc, making him the ultimate dual threat. Last time out against the Bulldogs he scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds to secure the win. Oduro, a 6’9” forward, averages 15.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He also leads the Friars with 46 offensive rebounds on the season, making him a huge threat on the offensive glass. Butler sits at eighth in the Big East in defensive rebounding percentage, making Oduro a force to be reckoned with on the boards. The Bulldogs will need to keep Carter at bay and box out Oduro if they want to pick up another victory in the Big East. This game will come down to which team can get stops and win the rebounding battle. That being said, the Friars will need to account for the Hinkle magic that is always in store whenever the Dawgs take the court at home.

Senior forward Jahmyl Telfort had 17 points in the loss against UConn. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team traveled to Connecticut to take on the No. 1 team in the nation Tuesday night. The Dawgs were able to hang around all game, but ultimately fell 71-62 to the Huskies. The Bulldogs were not able to grab a lead at any point in the game but were able to keep the game within reach. UConn’s largest lead of the game was 14, but Butler kept the deficit around 10 to five for most of the contest. The Dawgs cut the Huskies’ lead to five with two and a half minutes to go, but UConn was just too much for them to handle. The home team flexed their offensive muscles in crunch time to stave off the pesky Butler team. Senior guard DJ Davis led the Bulldogs in scoring with 21 points, followed by senior forward Jahmyl Telfort with 17. The other three starters were not able to get going, combining for a mere 20 points. It was a weak night for the bench as well, only pouring in four points collectively. UConn showed why they are the top team in the country on both ends of the court. Led by graduate guard Cam Spencer’s 20 points and sophomore center Donovan Clingan’s double-double, the Huskies were able to extend their Big East win streak to 11 straight. In a hard-fought loss for the Bulldogs, let’s go beyond the box score. Defending in the first half The key to winning on the road against a top opponent is starting fast. Unfortunately for Butler, they were not able to do that. The Bulldogs got down early but kept fighting back, however only shooting 32.3% from the field did not help their cause. UConn on the other hand, hit on 57.7% of their shots in the first period. A common theme for the Dawgs on defense was getting burned on backcuts. The Huskies would set up a double screen for a shooter on the wing, then dive toward the basket. Butler struggled to track these cutters, which led to a series of easy baskets for UConn. To beat a talented team like the Huskies, you have to be smart on defense and force hard shots. The Bulldogs gave away too many easy looks early, which is what set them on track to lose this game. What happened on offense? Telfort and Davis were the Bulldogs’ only avenues of offense in this matchup. Davis was able to hurt the Huskies from deep, while Telfort continued his hot streak of performances in the paint. The problem for Butler was the rest of the team. Usual offensive standout Pierre Brooks went missing, only scoring five points and hitting on only 20% of his attempts. Posh Alexander poured in eight points but may have been rusty after missing the win over Creighton. Butler coach Thad Matta seemed to shift focus down low, sitting Jalen Thomas in favor of Andre Screen for a majority of the game. Screen started the second half in place of Thomas, but did not seem to change much for the team. The reality for Butler is that they have talented players who do not play well on the same nights. Against the Huskies, it was Davis and Telfort’s night, but they did not get much help outside of themselves. If the Bulldogs want to be a dangerous team going forward, the players need to play well on the same night. It happened against Creighton, but not against UConn. What’s coming up? Butler will return to Hinkle Fieldhouse for a three-game stretch against Providence on Feb. 10, Marquette on Feb. 13 and Creighton on Feb. 17. The Bulldogs will set their sights on the Friars first, in what is a must-win game if this squad wants to stay in the NCAA Tournament conversation. The following two matchups come against top 25 squads that the Dawgs have bested before, but they will be looking for revenge. It will be a huge week-long stretch for the Bulldogs as March draws nearer.

Senior Jahmyl Telfort had 22 points in the win over Villanova on Jan. 27. Photo by Elle Rotter. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team will look to build on their winning streak as they head to Creighton on Feb. 2 to take on the Bluejays. Butler won dramatically last time out against Villanova to move to 14-7 on the year. The Bulldogs are tied for fifth in the Big East standings with Providence, St. John’s and Xavier. Creighton is tied for second in the Big East, with a conference record of 7-4 and overall record of 16-5. The Dawgs will now battle the Bluejays in Omaha, where Butler has only won twice in their history. Here is what you need to know as Butler takes on Creighton. Who: Butler vs. Creighton When: Feb. 2, 9 p.m. Where: CHI Health Center; Omaha, Nebraska How to watch/listen: FS1, WXNT 1430 AM Keeping the streak alive Butler has rattled off three straight wins in the last two weeks. The Dawgs took down DePaul, Georgetown and Villanova to climb back up the Big East standings. In those three games, there were two common factors that gave the Bulldogs the winning edge they needed. The first is rebounding. Securing the boards is something that plagued this Butler team in the early parts of the season. At times, the Dawgs simply looked beat on the glass. Recently though, that has changed dramatically. In their past three games, Butler has outrebounded their opponents in every single matchup. The Bulldogs had 7 more rebounds than DePaul, 9 more than Georgetown and ten more than Villanova. This newfound dominance on the glass is a huge reason why the Dawgs are on this winning streak. The second is limiting turnovers. Butler has won the turnover battle in their past three games as well. The Bulldogs’ ability to take possessions out of their opponents’ hands has been paramount in these tightly contested games. In the Big East you need any edge you can get, so protecting the basketball is vital. If Butler can rebound and limit turnovers, they will be in good shape to upset Creighton on the road. Creighton scouting report The Bluejays are 16-5 this season and ranked No. 13 in the nation. They are tied for second in the Big East standings behind UConn, with a conference record of 7-4. The main contributors for Creighton are senior Baylor Scheierman, junior Trey Alexander and senior Ryan Kalkbrenner. Those three players have accounted for 64.4% of the Bluejays’ total points this season. The backcourt duo of Scheierman and Alexander will be the focal point of the Bulldogs’ defense. Both tall guards, Butler will have to play tough defense and be willing to help out if they try to get into the paint. Both players can shoot from deep as well, so this game will require excellent defense from the Dawgs if they want to come away with a win. Kalkbrenner, a 7’1” center, will be the main factor in the paint. Kalkbrenner averages 16.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. If senior center Jalen Thomas can limit Kalkbrenner and rebound, Butler will be in good shape. Overall, the Bulldogs will need to have a complete team game if they want to beat Creighton on the road for the first time since 2015. This is another chance for the Dawgs to pick up a quality win in their quest for postseason basketball.

Photo by Jonathan Wang. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu Goal after goal, sophomore Palmer Ault has proved that he is one of the best in the nation. His high statistical output and overall play led to him getting drafted into Major League Soccer (MLS) by way of the Colorado Rapids. Ault’s success has transcended every level of soccer he has participated in so far. In addition to his pattern of continual success, he has always set his mind on different objectives other than just scoring goals on the pitch. “The first goal was: I want to play for Butler,” Ault said. “Then, after playing for Butler, [the goal] is now I want to play professionally.” The jump from college to the pros is one that only 2% of men’s soccer players make. Despite the odds, it was always something that Ault worked to pursue. “It was always kind of in the back of my mind,” Ault said. “Same as playing Division I soccer was always the first goal. It’s kind of grown upon itself, and just having those goals in mind and setting myself up to achieve those goals is what I try to do each and every day.” Ault’s career has been a long time in the making. He grew up as a multi-sport athlete, playing soccer, tennis and basketball. Once he entered high school at Noblesville, he decided to devote himself entirely to the beautiful game. In four years at Noblesville, Ault set a school record with 173 points: 67 goals and 39 assists. On top of his individual success, he led his team to the 2021-22 IHSAA Class 3A State Championship. Ault scored a goal and had an assist in the 3-1 win over Carmel. As Ault’s decorated high school career came to an end, it was time for his next chapter. The college game was calling, but he was not highly recruited despite his accomplishments. One school that was drawn to him was Butler. “I’d always gone to the Butler soccer camps as a kid and was always familiar with the Butler soccer program,” Ault said. “The atmosphere that Butler brings was something I always strived to be a part of and really tried to get my name out there.” When Ault attended the Butler clinics, head coach Paul Snape took notice. Snape, the winningest coach in Butler’s history, remembered Ault from a clinic in 2011. “I was doing a clinic up in Noblesville,” Snape said. “He was about eight years of age and people told me he was a good player. You know he looked good for eight but there’s a lot that can happen.” Snape and the Butler coaching staff kept their eyes on Ault as he got older. The young forward kept showing up to camps and playing soccer for Indy 11, Indiana Fire, Indy Premier and Noblesville. After seeing his growth from that 8-year-old kid into a state champion, Snape extended an offer to Ault to become a Butler Bulldog. “When they gave me that offer I knew immediately,” Ault said. “It was a few days later that I called Coach Snape back and let them know that I’m ready to be a Bulldog and wear that uniform that I’ve always aspired to be in.” Ault’s career as a Bulldog started off with a bang in the 2022 season. He bagged ten goals and six assists on the way to becoming the Big East Freshman of the Year as well as a member of the All-Big East First Team. In 2023, Ault scored six goals, landing him on the All-Big East Second Team. He has had a lot of success, but it has not been a cakewalk. “College soccer is no slouch,” Ault said. “Especially at Butler [where] we play in the Big East, one of the best soccer conferences in the country. I would have to give a lot [of credit] to my teammates for pushing me each and every day.” Not only have his stats caught eyes, his play on the field has grabbed the attention of his teammates. Junior Henri Kumwenda labels his attacking partner as “tenacious.” “If you watch him on the field you see he puts his heart into everything,” Kumwenda said. “You’ll see in his performances, in the way he plays, the way he runs and the amount of effort he puts into every single game.” Ault ranked fourth on the team in total minutes played in 2022 with 1,562 minutes, followed by third-highest on the team in 2023 with 1,267 minutes. In both 2022 and 2023, he started every game possible, totaling 34 games started. The stats show Ault’s competitive drive, but behind the competitor is a player who just wants to improve. “He sets the standard,” Snape said. “He’s a well-put-together young man. I think he’s got a lot of emotional intelligence to go with all those traits, and he just keeps getting better and better.” Humility was a trait that came to mind for both Kumwenda and Snape when they thought about Ault. “He’s very reliable, very honest, very down to earth and very humble,” Kumwenda said. “I think that anybody that speaks of him will say the exact same thing.” The combination of athletic power and strong character caught the attention of professional scouts, leading Ault to his next chapter. MLS recently changed its draft rules to allow players who are collegiate sophomores and above to be draft-eligible. Previously, only collegiate seniors and above were draft-eligible. MLS also now allows selected players with remaining college eligibility to return to school, with their rights being held by the club that drafted them. This allows younger players to return to school and continue to develop, rather than going pro early. “I think these MLS rules helped everybody,” Snape said. “[In college] you’re going to develop, you’re getting closer to an education, and I think it’s a win-win-win for everybody. Plus it helps the MLS team.” Since Ault completed his sophomore season, he was eligible for the draft. When Colorado came on the clock with the 34th pick in December 2023, they took the young forward from Butler. For Ault, it was the culmination of years of hard work and tenacity paying off. “It was a dream come true,” Ault said. “It was just an unreal feeling of being selected by a team that believes in you and they think you can be something for them someday. As soon as I heard my name called I knew that this [was] just the start.” Ault joined a talented Rapids draft class that included two players selected in the top-five picks, Duke’s Wayne Frederick and Maryland’s Kimani Stewart-Baynes. Colorado selected UCF’s Anderson Rosa and Manhattan College’s Gunnar Studenhofft after they took Ault with the 34th pick. Although his goal of becoming a professional had come true, Ault felt like his time as a Bulldog was not done yet. Utilizing the new rule changes that MLS offers, he has opted to return to Butler for his junior year. “I think from the beginning what I had in mind was coming back and finishing out my degree here at Butler,” Ault said. “I think ultimately the path that we’re on here is exactly where we want to be, and I’m really looking forward to the rest of my time here at Butler and hopefully transition well in the pros.” While the pros will have to wait, Bulldog soccer fans will rejoice that they get to watch Ault play for at least one more year. The men’s soccer program is just as excited. “We’re so happy he’s here,” Snape said. “We’re going to make sure as one of our captains and leaders [that] we extract as much out of him as humanly possible … which will help his development when he gets to the pros.” Ault will have one or two more years to showcase his talents in the Sellick Bowl. The boy from Noblesville who climbed the ranks from state champion to becoming Big East Freshman of the Year and joining the professional ranks is not ready to leave his beloved Butler yet. “When I made that decision I knew it was the right one,” Ault said. “Still, looking back it’s been the best decision I’ve made and there’s no regrets in coming to Butler and playing for the Bulldogs.”

Senior Jahmyl Telfort had 17 points in the win over Georgetown on Jan. 23. Photo by Andrew Buckley. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team looks to win their third straight game Jan. 27 in a matchup against Villanova. Butler moved to 13-7 on the season after routing Georgetown away from home. The Bulldogs are ninth in the Big East standings despite winning their last two games. Villanova on the other hand has lost three straight, dropping their record to 11-8. The Dawgs now take aim at the Wildcats, trying to move up the standings and stack victories. Here’s what you need to know as Butler takes on Villanova. Who: Butler vs. Villanova When: Jan. 27, 3 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS1, WXNT 1430 AM Consistent offensive performance Butler’s offense exploded last game against Georgetown on the way to a huge 90-66 victory. The Dawgs shot 56.9% from the field, their second best shooting performance all season. Pierre Brooks led the scoring with 20 points, but he was not alone. All five of Butler’s starters scored double digits, paving the way for the huge offensive day. Jahmyl Telfort even got back on track after a rough start to the Big East campaign, dropping 17 points. Brooks and Posh Alexander have been the scoring frontrunners so far this season, with some big performances from the other three starters as well. Last time out against Georgetown was the first time it seemed like all five starters were hitting consistently since the start of Big East play. If the Bulldogs can get a grasp on that kind of consistency from every player, they can become a dangerous team very fast. With offensive output like that, the Dawgs will shoot up the standings in a flash. Obviously not every game is going to go as well on offense for Butler, but it is a good sign going into the matchup with the Wildcats. Villanova is a tough team, and the Bulldogs will have to make shots consistently to beat them in Hinkle. Villanova scouting report The Wildcats have an 11-8 record and are 4-4 in Big East play. Despite having a worse overall record than Butler, Villanova is seventh in the conference standings. The Wildcats’ main threat is senior Eric Dixon. The 6’8” forward averages 15.0 points per game on 45.8% shooting. Dixon is a combination of size and shooting ability. Despite his large frame, he hits on 33.8% of his shots from beyond the arc, making him a nightmare to guard on the offensive end. Both Telfort and Brooks are going to have their hands full all night on the defensive end. Another contributor for Villanova is graduate Justin Moore. The 6’5” guard averages 11.6 points per game on 40.9% shooting. Moore is an excellent free throw shooter, hitting on 96.7% of his attempts from the charity stripe. He is not afraid to shoot from deep, but he has struggled this season from beyond the arc. Alexander will be up to the task on defense, but the height difference could be a factor. Villanova will be looking to get back to winning ways, while Butler will try to stack another win and put a run together. Regardless of rank or record, when the Wildcats visit Hinkle it is always a big game.

Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu President James Danko announced on Jan. 26 that Grant Leiendecker will assume the role of vice president and director of athletics on May 1. Leiendecker previously served four years at Marquette University as the assistant vice president, senior associate athletic director for development. He also worked as a member of their athletics and university advancement teams. Leiendecker served as the director of major gifts for The Rams Club at the University of North Carolina. Leiendecker graduated from Butler with a degree in finance in 2011 and was also a member of the 2010 and 2011 basketball teams that made appearances in the NCAA national championship game. He returned to Butler in August 2023 to assume the new role of associate vice president of athletics, working alongside current Director of Athletics Barry Collier. Leiendecker said he was honored to be given this role in a statement to Butler Athletics. “I am extremely humbled and excited to serve Butler as the university’s Director of Athletics,” Leiendecker said. “In many ways, our alma mater is home for my wife Kylee and me, and our family has always considered ourselves part of the Bulldog family. I’m grateful to President Danko, the search committee, and the board of trustees for this opportunity, and to Barry Collier for his leadership of Butler Athletics and his mentorship personally. There is a solid foundation, which includes so many talented student-athletes, coaches and administrators, for us to continue to build upon as we boldly pursue unprecedented heights for Butler Athletics and our university as a whole.” Leiendecker will assume his new roles on May 1, 2024 upon Collier’s previously announced retirement.

Junior guard Pierre Brooks had a team-high 20 points against Georgetown on Jan. 23. Photo by Andrew Buckley. CALEB DENORME | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu It was a complete performance by the Bulldogs in a 90-66 dismantling of Georgetown on the road. Butler started quickly and never looked back en route to a 24-point victory. It started as a back-and-forth game for the first 11 minutes of the contest. Georgetown led by three with a little over nine minutes to go in the first half, but then Butler took over. The Bulldogs ended the half on a 24-9 run spurred on by Pierre Brooks’ 18 first-half points. Butler’s dominance continued into the second half on both ends of the court. The Dawgs outscored the Hoyas in the second half 46-34 on their way to a victory by double digits. Brooks was the star of the night yet again, grabbing a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. This is his third straight game with 20+ points. Jahmyl Telfort bounced back after a tough outing against DePaul with 17 points on 60% shooting from the field. Let’s go beyond the box score. Highly efficient offense This game was Butler’s second-best shooting performance all season. The Bulldogs shot 56.9% from the field, only narrowly behind their victory over Eastern Michigan on Nov. 6, when they shot 57.1%. The Dawgs did most of their damage inside the arc, scoring 54 points on two-point shots. The ability to attack the interior of the Hoyas’ defense propelled them on huge runs to put them out in front. In addition to their success attacking inside, Butler still had a good day at the office from deep. The Bulldogs shot 37.5% from the three-point line, but they were not forced to launch from beyond the arc often. Only 27.6% of the Dawgs’ shots came from beyond the three-point line, showing just how much Butler wanted to attack Georgetown down low. This is one of the better offensive performances we have seen from the Bulldogs, and they will look to keep that momentum going into their next game against Villanova. Playing stingy defense and rebounding One of the main concerns all season for Butler has been their defense. With that being said, the Bulldogs answered the critics tonight with a great defensive performance to grab the win. Butler forced Georgetown to take tough, contested shots which led to the Hoyas shooting a mere 34.8% from the field. The poor shooting night for the home team allowed the Bulldogs to jump out in transition and grab easy baskets to grow their lead. Rebounding has been another huge struggle for the Dawgs. Coming into the matchup today, Butler had only won the rebounding battle in two games: the previous game against Georgetown and last weekend’s battle with DePaul. The Bulldogs were massive on the boards, grabbing 41 rebounds compared to the Hoyas’ 32. The defensive improvement is a good sign for the rest of the season, especially heading into a hard matchup against Villanova. If Butler plays like they did tonight, they will match up well against the Wildcats.

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.