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Junior guard Kolby King had 11 points in the loss against St. John’s. Photo by Jonathan Wang. CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team heads East on March 1 to take on Villanova in Butler’s third-to-last Big East game of the regular season. The Bulldogs fell in dramatic fashion on Jan. 1 against the Wildcats, blowing a 13 point lead with six minutes remaining and scoring only one point over that span. In their last game, the Dawgs were handled by No. 7 St. John’s. Butler grabbed the lead against the Red Storm with seven minutes remaining, but ended up falling 76-70 for the Bulldogs 15th loss of the season. Here is what you need to know as the Dawgs prepare to scrap with the Wildcats: Who: Butler vs. Villanova When: March 1, 12 p.m. Where: Finneran Pavilion How to watch: FOX Holding onto a lead If there has been one recurring issue for Butler this year, it is the Bulldogs’ inability to finish games and hold onto leads. Fans of the Dawgs got an early taste of these shortcomings in the first matchup with Villanova, but the problem reared its ugly head against St. John’s. Butler often does just enough to get within striking distance, but shies away when the lights are the brightest. Even having a home crowd behind them with seven minutes to go against the No. 7 team in the nation, the Bulldogs could not muster enough to stay in the game and grab the victory. This issue has been the defining quality of the Dawgs’ season. At the conclusion of this year, fans will wonder what could have been if Butler had the willpower to finish games, but the reality is it cannot pull out wins in crunch time. In this game against Villanova, the Bulldogs have a chance to exorcise their demons. If the Dawgs can go on the road, grab a lead and finish the game strong with a win, they can begin to move forward with momentum. Villanova scouting report Villanova is currently sixth in the Big East with a conference record of 10-8, and an overall record of 17-12. After dropping two in a row against UConn and Providence, the ‘Cats rebounded with wins over a ranked Marquette and Seton Hall. The Wildcats are led by graduate forward Eric Dixon and senior guard Wooga Poplar. This season Dixon has solidified himself as one of the best players in the Big East and college basketball. The graduate averages 23.3 points per game on 45.8% from the field and 42.6% from beyond the arc. Poplar has been the perfect complement to Dixon’s dominance. The dual-threat guard averages 14.5 points per game and leads Villanova in rebounding. For Butler to win this game it starts with stopping Dixon and Poplar. Senior guard Jordan Longino is the only other Wildcat to average double-digits in scoring on the season, so if the Bulldogs can limit Dixon and Poplar they will be in good shape. This game offers yet another opportunity for the Dawgs to get a good win on the road and gain momentum heading into the Big East Tournament. With this matchup against Villanova, a date with Xavier and a final Big East clash with Creighton on the horizon, Butler has its hands full for the next week.

Sophomore Boden Kapke had 12 points in the loss against St. John’s. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics. CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team fought valiantly but eventually fell to No. 7 St. John’s 76-70. After spending most of the first half down by single digits, the Bulldogs rallied to take the lead with seven and a half minutes remaining. Unfortunately for the Hinkle faithful, that lead would not last. The Red Storm went on to regain the advantage and never look back, giving the Dawgs their 15th loss of the season. In a heartbreaking loss to St. John’s, let’s go beyond the box score. Standing tall in a physical battle Despite the final score, Butler took the Red Storm to the wire. The Bulldogs had several chances to tie or take the lead in the final minutes of the game, but could not capitalize. The inability to close out games is the story of the Dawgs’ season. Time and time again Butler proved that it can hang around with some of the toughest teams in college basketball, but it just cannot find the finishing touches to secure the victory. Bulldogs head coach Thad Matta knew his team put up a good fight, but gave credit to the Red Storm for taking their chances. “We fought,” Matta said. “Give [St. John’s] credit. They started the game on fire. We had to adjust defensively because they were making shots.” St. John’s had a blistering first half, shooting 53.1% from the field. The Red Storm were able to keep Butler at arms length for a majority of the half, but the Dawgs went into halftime only down by six. Down by single digits at halftime to a top-ten team in the country is nothing to be ashamed of. This loss – which will sting – showed what Butler could be. The Bulldogs did not have their best game, but they still went down to the buzzer with one of the best teams in college basketball. This team has come a long way since those embarrassing losses to Austin Peay and North Dakota State, but the Dawgs came up just short in the end yet again. A total team effort in a losing battle One of the bright spots tonight was how Butler played collectively as a team. Every Bulldog who played got on the scoresheet, with four of them ending up in double-digits. Fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort led the scoring charge with 13 points, followed closely by senior forward Pierre Brooks and sophomore center Boden Kapke with 12 points each. Junior guard Kolby King poured 11 points off the bench as well. The Dawgs survived much of this season riding the hot hands of Telfort and Brooks, so it is rare to see such a comprehensive performance from Butler. Sharing the scoring burden made it hard for St. John’s to key in on one or two players to “shut down”, which ultimately allowed the Bulldogs to stay in the game. Although the scoring output was evenly distributed, Butler remained a few baskets away from capturing victory. “We put ourselves in a position to win [with] a couple crazy plays down the end,” Matta said. “[St. John’s] kept coming at us. We needed to make a couple [more] plays and we didn’t get it done.” The Bulldogs will have a chance to avenge this loss on Saturday in Pennsylvania against Villanova, before returning home for a rivalry matchup with Xavier.

The Columbus Crew grabbed its first win of the season with a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Fire at Lower.com Field. The visitors got out to an early lead, but Columbus responded shortly after courtesy of Jacen Russell-Rowe. Yet again, Chicago pushed out in front just minutes later to give Gregg Berhalter a lead against his former team. From there, it was all Black & Gold. A Fire own goal and a brace from Diego Rossi sealed all three points for the Crew on the first matchday of the season. After the departures of Cucho Hernandez and Christian Ramirez this offseason, the Black & Gold held their own in the first match of the new year. Let’s dive into all the tactics that went into the opening-day victory. Early struggles and tactical setups The first 30 minutes of the match did not go the way the Crew wanted it to. Chicago took the lead inside 15 minutes and then regained the advantage another time after Columbus landed a counter punch. Wilfried Nancy’s team looked rusty. The Black & Gold misplaced passes, took poor touches and could not stop turning the ball over to the Fire’s press. It was a first 30 minutes that resembled a team in its first MLS match since November. Some of that sloppiness is due to this game being the first meaningful match that Columbus played in three months. The other mistakes were due to both the Fire and Black & Gold’s tactical setups. Let’s start off with the Crew. Columbus lined up in the typical 3-4-3/5-2-3 formation that has become commonplace under Nancy. Yevhen Cheberko anchored the center of the back three alongside Steven Moreira and Malte Amundsen. Mo Farsi and Max Arfsten flanked the defense, with Darlington Nagbe and Sean Zawadzki in the center of the midfield. The front three was rounded out by Dylan Chambost, Russell-Rowe and Rossi. On defense, Columbus defended in a 5-3-2 with Chambost dropping into midfield alongside Nagbe and Zawadzki. That formation was the standard Black & Gold defensive setup throughout Nancy’s tenure in Columbus. On offense, the Crew had an altered look from the prior season. They stuck with the 3-4-3 base formation, but it changed quickly. The first altered shape was a 3-3-4. The back three remained the same, but the wingbacks pushed up high as wingers. In this shape, Chambost often dropped into the half-space between Moreira and Farsi to play as a half-pivot. The objective of this offensive formation was to hit the wingbacks on diagonal runs in behind Chicago’s center backs. Relying on long balls is not usually Columbus’ style, but it was the main avenue of attack in this formation. When Chambost moved into the half-pivot space and Amundsen did the same on the left, the Black & Gold would shift into a 2-4-4. Moreira and Cheberko would stay as a back two, with Amundsen and Chambost making a cupped midfield with Nagbe and Zawadzki. The front four would stay in the same positions. The offensive approach did not change much when the formations were tweaked, with the long balls to the wingbacks remaining as the Crew’s path of choice. While this long ball strategy took place in both formations, it was the Fire’s defensive approach that caused Columbus to play the aerial game. Chicago lined up in Berhalter’s classic 4-2-3-1 and employed a press with six of their 11 players. The Fire’s attack and midfielders used a man-mark press to get after the Black & Gold, with the back four playing a higher line. Wherever the Crew tried to create an overload, Chicago would match the numbers. This made it incredibly hard for Columbus to combine and build out of the back, leading to the long balls over the top. The worst part was the Black & Gold’s transition defense. With one of the three center backs high up the field, Chicago routinely got wide mismatches on the counter which sprang Jonathan Bamba down the left side time and time again. This led to a difficult first half hour of the match, resulting in the Black & Gold going down 2-1. The tides would soon change though, with Nancy unlocking Berhalter’s defensive enigma. Nancy’s answer to the Fire’s defensive tactics The Crew’s French manager unlocked Chicago’s defensive structure around the half-hour mark. His answer to the Fire’s press would flip the game on its head and give Columbus the foothold it needed to grab all three points. It started with the attack. Rossi, Russell-Rowe and Chambost were not getting the ball played into their feet because they were not dropping into midfield. For much of the first half they just stayed high on the backline and fought for those aerial balls. The Black & Gold began to break Chicago’s press when they could get the ball into one of the attackers’ feet and combine quickly on one-twos. This put the Fire’s press on its heels and opened up space in behind to run into. This is the area of the game where Rossi became absolutely immense. The Uruguayan became the focal point of the team, dropping into midfield and spraying out first-time passes to spring the Crew out of the press. His ability to do this freed up the second key for Columbus getting back into the game – Moreira getting higher up the pitch. During the first part of the opening half he often stayed back alongside Cheberko, but Nancy convinced him to be bold and attack. Once Rossi began breaking the Black & Gold out, the right side of the field became Moreira and Farsi’s playground. The two defenders-turned-attackers combined to put Chicago’s left back in a blender on multiple occasions, with two goals coming directly from Moreira’s foot. Once Moreira was able to get into the attack and Rossi put the buildup on his back, the Crew turned into a completely different team. There were still times when the Fire had chances on the counter, but that is to be expected in Columbus’ system. The difference in the offensive approach for the Black and Gold was night and day though. Those in-game adjustments are what make Nancy one of – if not the best – managers in MLS. Crew fans will want to see more of the Columbus squad that showed up for the last 60 minutes of the match as the season gets rolling.

Senior forward Pierre Brooks had 14 points in the loss against Xavier. Photo by Jonathan Wang. CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team continues its road trip with a visit up north to take on DePaul . The Bulldogs took down the Blue Demons earlier this season 86-69 in Hinkle Fieldhouse. Senior forward Pierre Brooks went ballistic in that matchup, going for 29 points, 13 rebounds and two assists . In their last game, the Dawgs fell to Xavier on the road 76-63 . Butler stayed level with the Musketeers for much of the first half, but then the home side pulled away when the Bulldogs’ offense went quiet. The Bulldogs made a few small runs later in the game, but none big enough to mount a comeback. Here is what you need to know as the Dawgs prepare to battle the Blue Demons: Who: Butler vs. DePaul When: Feb. 22, 8 p.m. Where: Chicago, Ill. How to watch: FS1 Opportunity to rebound If there was ever a team Butler wanted to see after a loss, it would be DePaul. The Blue Demons are in the basement of the conference with a 2-14 Big East record, with their only town wins coming against Georgetown and Seton Hall . Before the Xavier game, the Bulldogs were riding a three-game win streak and building momentum as the postseason nears. Then, Butler’s bubble burst when the Musketeers handled them soundly in Cincinnati.  This game against DePaul offers an opportunity to get back to winning ways against an inferior opponent before the Dawgs come back home to face No. 10 St. John’s . Losing to DePaul would be catastrophic, from both a record and morale standpoint.  Although the Blue Demons are still at the bottom of the Big East, DePaul has shown more fight than in recent years. If Butler wants to grab the victory in this game, its two stars – Brooks and fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort – need to step up alongside the rest of the supporting cast. The Bulldogs had Telfort, Brooks and sophomore guard Finley Bizjack clicking, but the rest of the team combined for only 15 points . This is the ultimate bounce-back game for the Bulldogs, but it will not be a walk in the park. Going into an away environment in the Big East is never a simple task, so Butler will need to play clean basketball to stack another win. DePaul scouting report The Blue Demons currently sit at 11-16 on the year, but sit dead last in the Big East with a conference record of 2-14. DePaul is starved for a victory after losing four straight, so it will be hungry for a win in front of a home crowd.  The Blue Demons are led by junior guard CJ Gunn and sophomore guard Jacob Meyer . The backcourt tandem are the only two players on DePaul to average double digits in scoring, with 12.3 and 10.7 points-per-game respectively.  In Butler’s last matchup against the Blue Demons, junior forward NJ Benson was the main scoring threat. Benson went off on the Bulldogs for 20 points and nine rebounds , paired with Gunn’s 16 points and four rebounds .  For Butler to come away from this game with a win, the Bulldogs will have to shut down DePaul’s guards and avoid scoring droughts on offense. The Dawgs face problems in games when their offense goes missing for minutes at a time, so they cannot afford a slip-up against the Blue Demons. This weekend offers Butler a chance to inch closer to a .500 record, and it starts against DePaul in Chicago.

Senior forward Pierre Brooks had 14 points in the loss against Xavier. Photo by Jada Gangazha. CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team saw its three-game win streak come to an end on Tuesday night, falling to Xavier 76-63 . After a closely contested game midway through the first half, Butler got blitzed and never recovered. Three Bulldogs finished in double-digits, but the rest of the squad combined for only 15 points. On a night when Butler needed a complete performance, the team did not show up. Let’s go beyond the box score as the Musketeers break the Dawgs’ win streak. First half meltdown Butler’s first half against the Musketeers was nothing short of an absolute drubbing. The Bulldogs jousted back and forth with Xavier for the first eight minutes, but then the home side unleashed an offensive torrent.  After being tied at 19 all with 12:23 left in the half, the Musketeers outscored the Dawgs 29-12 to take a 17-point lead into the locker room. Xavier’s commanding lead was buoyed by Butler’s inability to score for nearly five minutes. The only players who showed up offensively for the Bulldogs were sophomore guard Finley Bizjack and fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort . Both had double digits in the scoring column after the first half, but the rest of the team combined for only ten points. Many will point to the offensive no-show, but the Dawgs’ defense was abysmal. Allowing 48 points in the first is a recipe for disaster in college basketball. There was no way Butler could keep up with that scoring output from Xavier. All credit should be given to the Musketeers though. No player for Xavier scored more than eight points in the first half, but seven out of the eight players who got onto the floor contributed to the scoring effort. Bulldogs fans are used to seeing Butler collapse in the second half, but the Dawgs just could not wait this time. Xavier took advantage and left Butler with a mountain to climb at the break. Turnover troubles resurface Butler’s early season plague of turning the ball over reared its ugly head again against Xavier. The Bulldogs threw the ball away 20 times against the Musketeers, their second-highest total this season just below the 21 turnovers they gave away against St. John’s.  The Dawgs were never going to win with the immense amount of turnovers they committed. Xavier is already an offensive force to be reckoned with, so giving them more cracks on offense was not in Butler’s best interest. The Musketeers generated 21 points off the Bulldogs’ 20 turnovers and 19 points on fastbreaks. The Dawgs’ offense could not stop from coughing the ball up and gave Xavier little resistance on defense. After a three-game win streak, Butler was starting to think about a late-season streak. Despite this brutal loss to Xavier, the Dawgs will need to get back in the saddle ahead of a matchup at DePaul this weekend.

Fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort had 24 points in the win over Providence. Photo by Jada Gangazha. CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team returns home seeking to add to its winning streak as they take on the Georgetown Hoyas . The Bulldogs faced off against the Hoyas only two weeks ago, falling 73-70 . Back in Hinkle Fieldhouse, the Dawgs hope to ride a wave of home support to a victory. Last time out, Butler squeaked by Providence 82-81 at home. After the Friars took an early lead, the Bulldogs regained control and even opened up a commanding deficit of their own. True to Big East basketball, nothing came easy from there. Providence battled back, forced the Dawgs to play until the very end and came away with the win. Here is what you need to know as Butler prepares to battle Georgetown: Who: Butler vs. Georgetown When: Feb. 15, 2 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch/listen: FS1 Late season streakin’ The Bulldogs have a chance to do something they have only accomplished once all season – win three games in a row. The last win streak came as a part of an early-season stretch of six games, but since then Butler has struggled to string victories together. After a disastrous nine-game losing streak from December to January seemingly dashed any hopes of an NCAA Tournament appearance, the Dawgs can play spoiler in these last few weeks. The only plausible route to March Madness would be running the table through the Big East Tournament, but the Bulldogs will be content to focus on each individual game. Building a possible win streak late in the season can boost morale, intensity and chemistry as the team heads into the conference tournament. Butler is not the favorite to win the Big East Tournament by any stretch, but anything can happen in Big East basketball. For now, the Dawgs have an opportunity to grab another consecutive win and fight back to regain control of their season. An opportunity at home against Georgetown is a great place to start. Maybe it just took Butler 24 games to find its stride, but we will find that out when the Dawgs take the court against the Hoyas. Georgetown scouting report Georgetown currently has a 15-9 record overall and is 6-7 in conference play . The Hoyas are looking to start a winning streak of their own, beating Seton Hall the last time out. In head coach Ed Cooley’s second season, Georgetown has seen a major resurgence. The Hoyas won just nine games last season, losing the other 23. This season, Cooley and Georgetown accomplished the feat of winning nine games out of the first 11 games, turning the program around completely in just one year. Georgetown is led by graduate guard Micah Peavy and first-year forward Thomas Sorber . In the last matchup against Butler, Peavy and Sorber combined for 38 of the Hoyas’ 73 total points on the night. Sophomore guard Malik Mack was the only other Georgetown player to record double digits. Much like last game, if the Bulldogs want to win they will need to limit Peavy and Sorber. Forcing the Hoyas to have another player step up and score is the key to this game. Butler’s guards will need to be quick to contest on the outside, while the defenders in the paint will need to be tough with Sorber. This should be a fun matchup to watch in front of an afternoon Hinkle crowd. Butler’s season could very well be up for grabs depending on how this game goes. Will the winning streak continue? Or will it be late-season blues for the Bulldogs?

Senior center Andre Screen had 10 points in the win over Seton Hall. Photo by Andrew Buckley. CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team returns home on Saturday for a matchup against the Providence Friars . The Bulldogs fell to the Friars earlier this season in Rhode Island 84-65. Butler went 3-4 since that meeting, and now sits at 10-13 overall and 3-9 in conference play . The Dawgs seek to add to their win total in this showdown with Providence. Here is what you need to know as Hinkle Fieldhouse prepares to welcome the 11-12 Friars: Who: Butler vs. Providence When: February 7, 3 p.m. Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse How to watch: Peacock Starting a win streak This game is becoming increasingly significant for the Bulldogs as they attempt to win back-to-back games for the first time since early December. Those two victories came against Mississippi State in the Arizona Tip-Off and Eastern Illinois . Including this game against Providence, Butler only has eight games remaining before the Big East Tournament. If this squad wants to build momentum heading into Madison Square Garden, winning at home against the Friars would be a good start. Last time out against Providence, the Dawgs were demolished on the boards. The Friars grabbed 17 more total rebounds and eight more offensive boards than the Bulldogs. Poor rebounding paired with shooting 40.4% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc spelled doom for the visiting Dawgs. Luckily for Butler, the team has a chance to rectify the dismal loss at home in front of a packed Hinkle Fieldhouse. The late-season push in pursuit of better seeding in the Big East Tournament will be on everyone’s minds as the Dawgs take the court. If the Bulldogs want to make noise in the postseason, they need to begin by grabbing victories in these tightly contested conference matchups. Providence scouting report The Friars currently sit at 11-12 overall and 5-7 in conference play. Providence lost its last two games against No. 12 St. John’s and Creighton , so it will be looking for revenge on the road against Butler.  The Friars are led by a guard tandem of junior Jayden Pierre and senior Bensley Joseph . Both guards average over 12 points per game and have taken the most shots of anyone on Providence this year. Senior guard Bryce Hopkins returned for three games this season after suffering a torn ACL last year, but has since been sidelined with a bone bruise in his knee and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season .   When it comes to stopping the Friars, the game plan must start with limiting their backcourt. The duo of Pierre and Joseph can carve teams up if the defense is too soft. Butler will need its guards to play tight and tough defense if it wants to have a chance of winning in front of a home crowd.  Saturday afternoons in Hinkle Fieldhouse are a staple in college basketball. The Bulldogs will be hoping they can ride the wave of support to a victory and send Providence back home unhappy.

Senior forward Pierre Brooks had 14 points in the win over Seton Hall. Photo by Andrew Buckley. CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team added another victory to the win column on Wednesday, downing Seton Hall 84-54. The Bulldogs blitzed the Pirates, courtesy of a hot first half that included a barrage from beyond the three-point line. Six Dawgs finished in double-digits, with senior forward Pierre Brooks leading the way with 14 points. Butler shot 57.9% from the field and 50% from three to cap off a huge scoring night. Let’s go beyond the box score for Butler’s third conference win of the season. Starting fast The Dawgs had their best first-half showing of the season, scoring a season-high 48 points. Butler shot 59% from the field and 47% from beyond the arc in the first half. Graduate forward Patrick McCaffery and sophomore center Boden Kapke both had double digits in the scoring column, with McCaffery pouring in 13 points and Kapke adding 11. Seven Bulldogs in total contributed to the first-half scoring explosion. Unusually, fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort had zero points. The Canadian national team member contributed in other ways though, dishing out four assists and grabbing three rebounds. 15 of Butler’s 32 shots came from three-point land, with seven hitting nylon. The Dawgs’ scoring charge is largely thanks to the efficiency from beyond the arc. If shots from deep did not fall, this may have been a closer game at halftime. Luckily for the Bulldogs, the shots fell at a rapid pace. Butler went into the locker room up by 28 points and never looked back. Carrying over the momentum The next stretch of games for the Bulldogs comes against Providence , Georgetown , Xavier and DePaul . Three out of four of those games come against teams that are in the bottom five of the Big East. If there is ever a time to gain momentum and stack wins, that time is now for the Dawgs. Butler now sits at 10-13 with a conference record of 3-9. A road to the NCAA Tournament seems highly unlikely, but the Bulldogs could make some noise late in the season if they can win some games down the stretch. Whether or not Butler can put a run together will come down to its toughness and resilience. The Dawgs have struggled to close out games and play gritty basketball this season. If the Bulldogs want to put a winning streak together and make a run late in the season, they will need to show their heart along with their apparent talent. Butler will be back in action on Saturday at Hinkle Fieldhouse to take on Providence at 3 p.m.

Sophomore guard Finley Bizjack had 8 points in the loss against Marquette. Photo by Jonathan Wang. CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team heads east for a Friday night matchup against Georgetown . The Dawgs saw their record drop to 9-12 after being beaten by Marquette at home earlier in the week. The Bulldogs now have a 2-8 record in Big East conference play. Butler seeks to add a third conference win to its total with a showdown with the Hoyas on the horizon. Here’s what you need to know as the Dawgs battle Georgetown: Who: Butler vs. Georgetown When: January 31, 6:30 p.m. Where: Washington D.C How to watch: FS1 Playing a 40-minute game One of the downfalls for the Bulldogs this year has been their inability to play good basketball for an entire game. This tendency reared its ugly head again on Tuesday, when Butler imploded after halftime to give Marquette the victory. The Dawgs shot 57.1% in the first half but went ice cold in the second half, shooting only 25.8% from the field. Butler head coach Thad Matta talked about the importance of playing solid basketball for an entire game after the loss against Marquette. “There’s 40 minutes to a game,” Matta said. “That’s the one thing I’d say in this league … you have to play 40 minutes.” If the Dawgs can come into the Hoyas’ home court and play tough basketball for the entire game, Butler could end up coming out with the win. For that to happen though, the Bulldogs will need to buck their trend of collapsing in crunch time. Georgetown scouting report The Hoyas currently have a 13-8 record overall and a 4-6 conference record. Georgetown is currently in the midst of losing six of its last seven games, with the lone win coming against Villanova on January 20.  The Hoyas are led by first-year forward Thomas Sorber and graduate guard Micah Peavy . Both Sorber and Peavy average over 14 points per game and are first and second in total points scored this season. Georgetown has four players who average double digits in the scoring column, so the points can pour in from anywhere. The guard tandem of sophomore Malik Mack and junior Jayden Epps both contribute 13 and 12.3 points per game respectively.  The key for Butler in this game will be to limit Georgetown’s starters offensively. The Dawgs will not stay competitive if all four stars get into double digits, so Butler will need to pick its poison and decide who to stop. It should be a classic, tight Big East matchup between the Hoyas and the Dawgs. Georgetown will be intent on getting out of its rut, while Butler will seek to grab a third conference win of the season.

Jury trial for the case will be held in June. Photo by Jada Gangazha.  AIDAN GREGG | MANAGING EDITOR | agregg1@butler.edu   CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu   Content warning: explicit references to sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault and grooming.  The lawsuit filed by current and former women’s soccer players against former assistant athletic trainer Michael Howell, his former supervisor and current associate athletic director Ralph Reiff and Butler University continues into its third calendar year.  As the jury trial looms, issues of university policy, student-athlete safety, anonymity and discrimination continue to plague this case . #1 Women’s soccer players allege sex abuse by former trainer, neglect by Butler University In September 2021, six women’s soccer players reported sexual misconduct by former assistant athletic trainer Michael Howell to their coach Tari St. John. A Title IX report followed shortly after these allegations were filed and found that Howell “exploited his authority and power over Ms. Doe to isolate, manipulate, control, and sexually assault her, which he did on multiple occasions without her consent, and for his own sexual gratification.” In July 2023, Jane Does 1, 2 and 3 filed an initial lawsuit against Howell, Reiff and Butler University. A fourth player — Jane Doe 4 — joined the lawsuit in August 2023 alleging grooming, manipulation and sexual abuse by Howell. All four women are also suing Butler and Reiff for negligence and gross negligence and for battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress by Howell and Butler. As Howell’s direct supervisor, they argue that he failed to adequately educate student-athletes and coaches, failed to ensure that standards for student safety were met and failed to supervise Howell’s submission of written reports.   The women’s soccer players allege that Butler does not have any policies or protocols for athletic trainers that may have protected them from sexual abuse. Howell similarly claims that the university did not have any such policies, but also argues that this lack of policies left him vulnerable to the accusations of sexual assault, which he denies. Butler University has denied these claims. In an email to The Butler Collegian, University General Counsel Claire Konopa Aigotti noted Butler’s sexual misconduct policy, effective June 9, 2017, which prohibits unwanted “touching of the buttocks, breasts, groin or genitals of another, whether clothed or unclothed for the purpose of sexual gratification.”  #2 Reiff admits to ties to former USA Gymnastics doctor and convicted rapist Larry Nassar In the Title IX proceedings against Howell that took place in 2022, Reiff revealed that he worked “elbow to elbow” with convicted serial rapist Larry Nassar. The former team doctor assaulted hundreds of women during his time working for USA Gymnastics and was arrested in 2016. Reiff and Nassar worked together at St. Vincent’s Sports Performance as members of USA Gymnastic’s Medical Task Force.  The plaintiffs have sought to emphasize that Reiff’s past association with Nassar should have made him aware of the kinds of abuse that can happen in collegiate athletics. Former USA gymnast Rachael Denhollander, who came forward after being sexually abused by Nassar, has joined the women’s soccer players’ legal team as counsel. #3 University seeks to reveal athletes’ identities  The four players have proceeded under the names Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3 and Jane Doe 4 since the outset of the lawsuit. They argue that they need to remain anonymous to protect their mental and physical health as well as to avoid the stigma often associated with victims of sexual assault. Butler and Reiff have contested the use of pseudonyms in this case, leading to a hearing on Oct. 28, 2024, to determine whether the athletes would be able to proceed with anonymity. No decision has been reached at the time of publication.  Butler and Reiff have argued that the women’s soccer players have used their anonymity to make defamatory statements about Reiff. In particular, the defense alleges reputational harm to Reiff because of his prior working relationship with Larry Nassar. They further allege that the players have protected themselves with their pseudonyms, while Reiff has no similar safeguard from public scrutiny. The defense for Butler and Reiff has also asserted that the women’s circumstances do not meet the criteria for pseudonymity. For pseudonyms to be granted, the anonymous individuals must be minors, be at risk of physical harm or face retaliation from a third party.  Shana Markle, the former associate director of Butler’s Counseling and Consultation Services, treated Jane Does 1-3 and has continued to do so after her departure from the university in 2023. Markle testified at the October hearing that each of the three women expressed suicidal ideation at the possibility of having their identities revealed. All four athletes also expressed symptoms exacerbated by the possibility of their identities being made public including severely disordered eating, sleep difficulties, hair loss, depression and anxiety.  #4 Howell alleges sex discrimination by Butler University The former athletic trainer seeks compensation from Butler for alleged discrimination on the basis of his sex as a man. He claims that the university capitulated to social pressures in response to widely publicized sexual abuse scandals in collegiate athletics, like the indictment of Larry Nassar. Howell’s legal counsel has argued that the university violated Title IX in the alleged discrimination against him in an educational setting.  Butler University argued that Title VII, a statute that concerns employment discrimination would be the proper legal theory and not Title IX; therefore, the crossclaim should be dismissed. However, the court ruled on July 29, 2024, that Howell could proceed with the crossclaim under Title IX, Title VII or both.  The university contends that since Howell has not amended his crossclaim to include a Title VII violation, he has conceded that he will continue to proceed under the Title IX argument. Butler continues to argue that the court should reconsider its decision not to dismiss Howell’s claim. #5 Trial will begin in June 2025 The trial is set for June 16, 2025. The athletes seek financial compensation for their injuries and damages and to compel Butler to institute safety protocols to protect student-athletes. They further seek to prevent Howell from maintaining licensure and for Butler to contact former student-athletes who may have been abused by Howell and provide them with resources.  Howell’s crossclaim is set to be tried alongside the women’s soccer players’ claims. He seeks trial by jury and compensation for legal fees, lost wages and emotional distress. The Collegian will continue to investigate and report on this story.

Fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort had 24 points in the loss to Marquette. Photo by Jonathan Wang.  CALEB DENORME | MANAGING EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team dropped to 9-12 on the season and 2-8 in Big East play with a 78-69 home loss to No. 9 Marquette . The Bulldogs led by seven at halftime, but ultimately fell behind with a dismal second-half performance. Fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort led the Dawg’s scoring charge with 24 points, followed by Patrick McCaffery who had 12. It was second-half shooting that sunk Butler, with the Bulldogs only hitting 25.8% of their shots from the field.  Let’s go beyond the box score as the Dawgs suffer their 12th loss of the season. First half explosion Butler came out of the locker room firing in the first half and built a seven-point lead at the break. The Dawgs shot a blistering 57.1% from the field and 40.7% from deep to put Marquette on its heels heading into the intermission.  A mix of interior scoring and a barrage of threes caught the No. 9 team in the nation by surprise, but the Golden Eagles fought to stay in the matchup. Marquette matched Butler’s pace by shooting 46.9% from the field and 50.8% from beyond the arc .  The bigger positive for the Bulldogs in the first half was their defense. Butler forced stops and even out-rebounded the Golden Eagles to limit Marquette’s second-chance points. The Dawgs held all of Marquette’s players to single digits in the scoring column in the first period as well. Marquette head coach Shaka Smart found his team’s physicality “unacceptable” in the first half and urged them to step up in the second half.  “We just had to ramp up our level of violence,” Smart said. “I tell the guys all the time [that] if we don’t play with violence we are a very average team.” Second half collapse Although the Bulldogs started the game as strong as they could have, the second half could not have gone worse. Butler only scored 27 points after halftime and hit on eight out of its 31 shots. After one of the best offensive halves on the season, the Dawgs completely lost it after they came out of the locker room. No Butler player scored more than 9 points and every Bulldog finished with a negative differential in the second half. Thad Matta accepted responsibility for the team’s poor performance, but he also recognized the reality of the terrible shooting half. “We could not make a shot,” Matta said. “[Marquette] did a heck of a job defensively but we had some looks that were just in and out.” Those missed looks turned a seven-point lead into a four-point deficit to make up just eight minutes into the second half. The Dawgs’ offense was floundering and the defense had become soft. Butler had no answers, and it did not find any until the final buzzer finally sounded. “We had moments where we needed to get a stop [or] we needed a bucket and we just couldn’t,” Matta said. “I thought we competed, but when we needed things to happen we just weren’t able to make them happen tonight.” Butler will hit the road to face Georgetown in Washington, D.C. on Friday, January 31.

Fifth-year forward Jahmyl Telfort had 8 points in the loss against Wisconsin. Photo by Ben Holmes. CALEB DENORME | SPORTS EDITOR | cdenorme@butler.edu The men’s basketball team returns to action with a midweek matchup against No. 9 Marquette away. The Bulldogs are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, falling to Houston , North Dakota State and Wisconsin over the past week and a half.  Butler heads to Milwaukee attempting to steady the ship and improve on their 7-4 record . A matchup with the ninth-ranked team in the nation does not look promising though. Here is what you need to know as the Dawgs take on the Golden Eagles: Who: Butler vs. Marquette When: Dec. 18, 9 p.m. Where: Fiserv Forum How to watch: FS1 Saving the season Many Butler fans could argue that despite being early in the season, the Bulldogs have tanked any real chance of making the NCAA Tournament. The Dawgs have looked outclassed in each one of their four losses, whether they were playing against superior or inferior opposition. A win away at No. 9 Marquette could be the spark that puts Butler on a tear. Grabbing a victory away from home against a top-ten team in the nation would uplift the team’s spirits, as well as their record and resume. For this improbable upset to happen, Butler will need a perfect storm. On offense, the Bulldogs will need two-way scoring punch from forward duo fifth-year Jahmyl Telfort and senior Pierre Brooks . On the defensive side, the Bulldogs need to put on their best performance of the season. Telfort had his worst game of the season on Saturday against Wisconsin, so getting him back into the offensive game plan has to be head coach Thad Matta’s first priority. Brooks lit up the scoresheet with 23 points followed by graduate forward Patrick McCaffery’s 16 , but outside of those two the Bulldogs did not offer much offensive help. One storyline to watch is the play of junior guard Kolby King . Although the Dawgs have been in a free fall, King has provided support and a spark off the bench. Look for him to get more playing time, especially if sophomore guard Finley Bizjack continues to struggle.  Starting off Big East play with an away game at Marquette and then a home bout on Saturday against UConn is a daunting task, but the Bulldogs need to get a win soon. After an uninspiring start to the season, the fans will not accept many more shortcomings. Marquette scouting report The Golden Eagles currently sit at 9-2 , with their only two losses coming against No. 3 Iowa State and Dayton . Marquette finished last season with a 27-10 record, falling to UConn in the Big East Tournament final and to NC State in the Sweet 16. Two seniors lead the way for the Golden Eagles – guard Cam Jones and forward David Joplin . Jones averages 20.1 points per game and shoots a blistering 57.1% from the field . He typically prefers to get downhill and score in the lane, but he also hits on 41.2% of his shots beyond the arc to keep the defense guessing. Joplin averages 14.2 points per game on 41.4% shooting . He is also the team’s leading rebounder and will likely match up with Telfort. Marquette is dangerous due to their depth and energy. Ten players on the Golden Eagles average double-digits in minutes played this season, and their scoring output can come from anyone on the court. Butler needs to step up and match the energy that Marquette is going to play with, or else the Bulldogs could get run out of the building. In what could be the biggest game of Butler’s season, the Dawgs need to step up. They can not worry about results down the road at this point, for now they need to focus on the task directly in front of them. If they can pull off the upset up in Milwaukee, there may still be hope for the rest of the season.