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butler bulldogs

St. John’s Continues Surge, Easily Defeats Butler

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

New York, NY – St. John’s headed into Wednesday night’s matchup vs Butler at MSG winners of their last six games and ranked in the AP top 25 for the first time in five weeks. As it turned out, they would continue their recent dominance in this showdown against the Bulldogs as well. The first half of this one was all Johnnies as they led the entire half and shut Butler down, allowing only 29 points on 35% shooting. St. John’s would also get solid all-around production offensively led by Dillon Mitchell (14 points, 13 rebounds) and Ian Jackson. The Red Storm dominated in the paint which is where they scored 26 of their 43 first half points, they would also shoot 41% from beyond the arc as well. This would lead to St. John’s taking a 14- point lead heading into halftime.

The offensive brilliance would continue in the second half for St. John’s as they would go on to score 49 points on even better efficiency. They ended up with four players in double figures. Even though the frontcourt duo of Ejiofor and Mitchell had great games, it was good to see Ian Jackson and Joson Sanon combine for 31 points and shoot the ball well. St. John’s has had up and down guard play all season but getting some consistency especially from Jackson could be huge at this point in the season. Butler struggled with the size and physicality of St. John’s frontcourt. When you mix that in with the Red Storm’s red hot perimeter shooting it made for a rough night for the Bulldogs. St. John’s extended their winning streak to seven and went to 9-1 in conference play with their 92-70 win.

The play of Jackson was exciting to see as he showcased the potential he brings to the table when he’s going the right way. Jackson was St. John’s leading scorer last night with 18 points and the shotmaking was on full display. He has the ability to be crafty at the rim and his athleticism really stands out when he’s on the attack downhill. Jackson is quick and shifty as a ball handler and can get to his shots. Though as a jumpshooter he can be streaky, when his jumper is falling he’s a tough cover for anyone because of the fact it opens up the floor. Jackson can also be very spotty with his decision making but he was brought to this team to do what he’s done in his last two games vs. Butler and Xavier. 

As for Butler, Michael Ajayi (19 points, 11 rebounds) was one of the only bright spots last night. Ajayi is a swiss army knife type of player for this Butler team. He provides ball handling, gets rim touches, and is great on the glass. Ajayi may not be a respectable jumpshooter but he was always on the attack and able to get to the line a bunch as well. I also really enjoyed the motor he played with especially in a game where it’s physical and the opposing team has the advantage in that area.

This article was written by Jordan Amadeo, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter.

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Butler Gets Upset Win at Seton Hall

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Newark, N.J. – Entering Saturday afternoon’s matchup, the Butler Bulldogs were mired in a four-game losing streak and in dire need of a Big East victory to regain some momentum. They responded with a poised and disciplined performance. Led by the steady play of combo guard Finley Bizjack and efficient team free-throw shooting down the stretch, Butler was able to create just enough separation to hold off the Seton Hall Pirates, securing a 77–66 win. The victory provided a much-needed confidence boost for the Bulldogs as they looked to reset their season and reestablish themselves in conference play.

Junior guard Bizjack was outstanding today, finishing with a game-high 25 points as the Pirates struggled to find any answers for him. Bizjack was particularly effective playing off the ball, showing a strong feel for the game by orchestrating actions that consistently put him in position for clean, open looks, which he converted with confidence. He also displayed excellent poise when attacking the heart of Seton Hall’s defense, using well-timed pump fakes to get opposing bigs off their feet and drawing multiple fouls, which he capitalized on at the free-throw line. With the ball in his hands, Bizjack was equally impressive operating out of the pick-and-roll, showing the ability to make the right read by either hitting the roller or getting all the way to the rim himself.

Playing from behind has been a recurring theme for the Pirates all season, and it proved costly once again in this matchup. Seton Hall went into the break trailing by double digits and was forced to rely on a late comeback to try to steal a win. This time, however, Butler never let up, keeping consistent pressure on the Pirates and refusing to take their foot off the gas. For the first time this season, Seton Hall’s full-court pressure failed to significantly disrupt its opponent, and the difference was evident. Butler freshman guard Azavier Robinson was particularly composed against the press, advancing the ball quickly and efficiently while consistently avoiding the coffin corner—an area the Pirates typically target for traps, turnovers, and jump-ball situations.

During non-conference play, the Pirates’ top scorer AJ Staton-McCray averaged 14.2 points per game, but that production dropped sharply once Big East play began, as he entered the day averaging just 6.8 points per contest in conference action. In need of a confidence-boosting performance, Staton-McCray delivered signs of a turnaround in this one. He finished with 17 points and played with noticeably better pace and composure. On the opening possession, head coach Shaheen Holloway ran a perfectly designed set to get him attacking downhill; although the initial attempt missed, Staton-McCray stayed with the play, secured the offensive rebound, and converted the putback. From there, he consistently applied pressure at the rim, finishing through traffic and drawing fouls, going a perfect 8-for-8 at the free-throw line. For Seton Hall to find consistent scoring moving forward, getting Staton-McCray back to this level of play will be essential.

Saturday’s result offered a clear snapshot of where both programs currently stand. For Butler, the win served as a much-needed reset, showing the value of disciplined execution, strong guard play, and composure late in games as they snapped their skid and regained momentum in Big East play. The Bulldogs will look to build on that performance when they return home to host DePaul on Tuesday. For Seton Hall, the loss reinforced familiar challenges—slow starts and difficulty generating consistent offense against prepared opponents—but also provided encouraging signs from Staton-McCray. The Pirates will have little time to dwell on this one, as they head across the Hudson on Tuesday for a challenging road matchup at St. John’s, where addressing those early-game lapses will be critical.

This article was written by William Murphy, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter.

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St. John’s Rolls Past Butler

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Queens, NY – The St John’s Red Storm (10-4) came out on top Tuesday night in a Big East conference match-up against the Butler Bulldogs (10-4) 86-70.

The Red Storm had a balanced offensive attack that saw six players reach double figures on the night. Leading that attack was senior guard Daniss Jenkins who finished with a team high 17 points (6-12 FG), five rebounds and seven assists. Jenkins continues to showcase his ability to effectively run the offense as he’s done all season. He has a good sense as to when to reset broken plays in the half court sets and get the ball moving to the right spaces on the court. He is also great at taking care of the basketball and minimizing his and the team’s turnovers when he’s in the game. His pace with the basketball and his court vision leads to his high assist and low turnover numbers.

Another big contributor to the Red Storm’s victory was RJ Luis Jr., a sophomore guard. Taking a team high 15 field goal attempts, Luis Jr. constantly found himself weaving into the lane and to the rim for tough finishes. He effectively used his strength to keep defenders on his back on his pick & roll drives. From there he either could use that strength and ball handling to get to the rim for a layup or a foul or stop on the dime for a pull up mid-range shot. Freshman forward Brady Dunlap came off the bench for St John’s and provided instant offense. Finishing with 13 points (5-7 FG, 3-5 3PT) Dunlap had his best scoring game of the season, taking season highs in field goal attempts and makes and three pointers made. His role in this offense can still grow if he consistently takes and makes those outside shots.

Rounding out the scoring for the Red Storm was senior Joel Soriano with 14 points, followed by fellow seniors Chris Ledlum (13 points) and Nahiem Alleyne with 10. The Bulldogs offense couldn’t maintain a rhythm against the zone defense of St John’s which led them to shot clock violation turnovers, bad passes or ending possessions taking tough contested shots. Senior guard DJ Davis was the high scorer for Butler finishing with a game high 25 points (10-17 FG). Davis was the only Butler player who seemed to be able to get open looks and find holes in the Red Storm zone defense. Whenever the Red Storm guards would close out or go over the screen in the pick and roll, Davis was also able to get good dribble penetration and get good close shots to go down while moving downhill. However, his effort alone wasn’t enough to carry his team to the win tonight.

Butler looks to rebound from tonight’s loss Friday night at home in another Big East matchup vs No. 4-rated UConn (12-2) while St John’s goes on the road to face Villanova (9-4) on Saturday afternoon as they look to extend their win streak.

This article was written by Frank Amankwah, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

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