Butler basketball cruises into holiday break with 49-point blowout of NJIT

[ASFN Admin]

INDIANAPOLIS — Playing one of the worst teams in Division I, Butler put seven players in double figures, cruising to a 101-52 win over NJIT.

The game served as a glorified exhibition of sorts, with Big East play starting in full on the road against Creighton on Dec. 30.

Michael Ajayi led Butler with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Drayton Jones added 14 points and four rebounds.

Here's what I liked and disliked, and what the win means.

What I liked in Butler basketball's win vs NJIT​

• Early in the game it looked like NJIT may not score at all. The Highlanders missed their first 13 shots from the field and started 0 for 3 from the free throw line. Butler led 17-0 before NJIT scored its first point.
• Jones is always hustling. In the first half, he blocked John Kelly's shot and made the extra effort to save the ball from going out of bounds. Evan Haywood corralled the ball and passed ahead to Azavier "Stink" Robinson for 3.
• Butler rewarded Jones' hustle in the second half. Jones scored eight points on Butler's first four possessions after halftime. He scored eight of his 14 points in the second half.
• Haywood is quickly becoming one of the most improved shooters in the Big East. The sophomore is shooting with confidence, wasting no time firing away in catch-and-shoot situations. Haywood shot 4 for 5 from 3 in the first half. He finished with 13 points. Haywood entered Monday eighth in the Big East at 2.1 3-pointers per game. Finley Bizjack is tied for second at 2.6 3s per game.
• Butler's large lead and starter Jamie Kaiser Jr.'s absence allowed freshman Jackson Keith to get first-half minutes for the Dawgs. Keith didn't play at all against Northwestern and hadn't earned double-digit minutes since the Dawgs' third game of the season. Keith finished with eight points and seven rebounds in 12 minutes.

Latest injury: What we know about why Jamie Kaiser Jr. will miss Butler's game vs NJIT

What I disliked in Butler basketball's win vs NJIT​

• I'm not sure why Butler scheduled a game that would not help it all in terms of improving its NCAA tournament resume or making it better come Big East play.
• Butler shot just 8 for 12 from the free throw line (66.7%) in the first half. The Dawgs finished 24 for 32 (75%).

Insider: Michael Ajayi's 'grown man' rebounding highlighted by stat not seen at Butler since 1983

What Butler basketball's win vs NJIT means​

The win doesn't help Butler at all. A loss would've been catastrophic, but I'm not sure how playing a game where they were not challenged at all helps the Dawgs moving forward. The light competition allowed starter Jamie Kaiser Jr. and reserve Jack McCaffery (illness) to sit out. Already down starting point guard Jalen Jackson, giving players extra rest is a plus for the Dawgs.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball score today vs NJIT, game stats, largest win margin

Continue reading...