The Bulldogs close out the regular season Saturday, making the trek up I-65 to Chicago to face DePaul. This is the second meeting between the teams this season as Butler took an 87-80 win over the Blue Demons Jan. 20 in Indianapolis. Butler Bulldogs (15-15, 6-13 BIG EAST) at DePaul (16-14, 8-11) Saturday, March 7 • 11AM CT Wintrust Arena; Chicago, Ill. Follow Along TV/Stream: FS1 • Jason Ross Jr. & Jordan Taylor Radio/Audio: 93.5 & 107.5FM The Fan, Butler Sports App, SiriusXM 384, Sirius XM App, TuneIn Radio App & ButlerSports.com • @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner) As Legendary Superfan Bob Swerski Would Say… “Da Notes on Da Match-Up with Da Paul” • Butler has won 12 straight match-ups against the Blue Demons. • DePaul head coach Chris Holtmann (2014-17) and assistant coach LaVall Jordan (2017-22) both previously served as the head coach at Butler. • Thad Matta was the head coach at Butler during Jordan’s 2000-01 senior season. • Depending on Saturday’s conference-wide results, Butler will be either the No. 8, 9 or 10 seed in next week’s BIG EAST Tournament in New York City. • The Bulldogs enter the contest off a 76-59 loss to Creighton Wednesday in Indianapolis. • Butler went to the line a season-low eight times against Creighton. The Bulldogs average 25.3 free throw attempts per game, which ranks 18th nationally. Butler has attempted more free throws than their opponents in 25 of the 30 games this season. • Butler shot a season-worst 16.7 percent (4-24) from three-point range against Creighton. The Bulldogs are only 10-for-48 (20.8 percent) from behind the arc over the last three games; Butler opponents have hit 10 three-pointers in each of those three games. • Michael Ajayi led Butler with 26 points and 13 rebounds against Creighton. Ajayi ranks fifth nationally at 11.1 rebounds per game. He has 17 double-doubles this season, which is eighth in the nation. • Ajayi has led Butler in rebounding in 29 of the team’s 30 games this season. • Ajayi’s 334 rebounds currently rank fourth on Butler’s single-season list; Daryl Mason holds the record at 354 (1972-73). • In addition to leading the league in rebounding, Ajayi ranks fourth in the BIG EAST at 16.4 points per game. He is also among the conference Top 15 in minutes played (first), field goal percentage (sixth), blocked shots (eighth), and assists (13th). • Finley Bizjack enters Saturday’s tip with 982 career points in a Butler uniform. • Bizjack is the BIG EAST’s third-leading scorer at 17.0 points per game. He is second in the BIG EAST in both free throw shooting (89.9 percent) and minutes (33:38 per game; behind only Ajayi). His 2.2 three-pointers per game rank fifth in the conference. • Bizjack has scored 20 or more points in seven of Butler’s BIG EAST games this season, including tying his career-high with 30 points Feb. 4 at Providence. Bizjack has 11 20-point games this season. • Yohan Traore has been the top bench scorer for the Bulldogs in six straight games, averaging 13.0 points per game over that stretch. • Evan Haywood returned to action Wednesday night against Creighton after missing three games with a right thigh injury. • Jackson Keith has played double-digit minutes in six of Butler’s last seven games (and 10 times total this season). • Butler’s 93-89 win at Georgetown Feb. 18 was Thad Matta’s 500th win as a head coach. • Butler has 15 games scoring 80 or more points this season; seven of those games have come in BIG EAST play and Butler is 5-2 in those games (with the only losses at Creighton Dec. 30 and in double-overtime at Providence Feb. 4). • Ten different Bulldogs have scored at least 13 points in at least one game this season. Mr. 500 • In his 21st season as a head coach, Thad Matta earned his 500th career win Feb. 18 at Georgetown. • Matta is the 81st head coach all-time (and just the 18th active) to register 500 career men’s NCAA Division I wins. • Matta’s 486 wins entering the season are tied for seventh-most among coaches in their first 20 seasons as a head coach. • Among active head coaches, Matta entered the 2025-26 season ranked 11th in winning percentage (.701) and 23rd in career wins (486). Dishing On DePaul • DePaul has won four of their last six games. • The Blue Demons already have eight BIG EAST wins this season, one short of tying the program’s BIG EAST high. • CJ Gunn leads four Blue Demons in double figures, averaging 13.5 points per game. • Opponents shoot 35.9 percent from three-point range against DePaul, which is 311th nationally and the highest percentage allowed in the BIG EAST. First Time Around • The Bulldogs shot 56.9 percent from the field in taking an 87-80 win over DePaul Jan. 20 in Indianapolis. • Finley Bizjack led Butler with 24 points. Michael Ajayi posted 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. • Layden Blocker led DePaul with 20 points. CJ Gunn scored 16 points with 14 of those coming in the first half. • After trailing by six early in the second half, a 15-2 run by Butler turned a 41-35 deficit into a 50-43 lead with 15:43 remaining. Battles with the Blue Demons • The series between the Bulldogs and DePaul dates back to 1939. All but six games between the two teams have come since Butler joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2013-14 season. • Butler has won 12 straight match-ups with DePaul, and 23 of the last 24 in the series. The Series: Butler leads, 24-7 Streak: Butler, W12 In Chicago: Butler leads, 12-4 First Meeting: 1939; Butler, 39-29 (at DU) Last Meeting: Jan. 20, 2026; Butler, 87-80 (at BU) Up Next The BIG EAST Tournament runs March 11-14 in New York City. About The Author troyderengowski61@gmail.com See author's posts Post navigation REGULAR-SEASON FINALE AT BC THIS SATURDAY
