Butler Insider Akeem Glaspie on Dawgs win over Chicago State
Butler Insider Akeem Glaspie on Dawgs win over Chicago State
- Butler basketball faces its first road test of the season against SMU in Dallas.
- Coach Thad Matta is eager to see how his freshmen players perform in a hostile environment.
- The team will be without injured freshmen Efeosa Oliogu-Elabor and junior center Kevin Ndzie.
Butler basketball coach Thad Matta is eager to learn more about his team during the Dawgs’ first road game this season Saturday in Dallas against SMU.
Matta said he expects his veteran players to perform well in a hostile environment, but facing the Mustangs will tell him a lot about his freshmen.
Guard Azavier “Stink” Robinson leads Butler’s freshmen averaging 18 minutes per game. Jack McCaffery is averaging 15 minutes a game followed by Jackson Keith’s 12.
Freshman Efeosa Oliogu-Elabor has yet to debut after injuring his ankle in pregame warmups before an exhibition against Indiana State. He will not play against SMU.
All three freshmen have shown flashes of potential, but playing on the road will be a new experience.
“As a team [playing on the road] is something we haven’t done as a group,” Matta said. “From that perspective, you learn a lot about a freshman when you’re on the road in a hostile environment and somebody goes on a 6-0 run, what’s the look in their eyes?
“It’s hard to create something like that [in practice]. You’ve got to go down; you’ve got to play and play well. Hopefully we’re disciplined enough to stay to our game plan and do the things that we need to do with great energy and togetherness.”
Finley Bizjack is the only returning player who faced SMU last season at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Jahmyl Telfort’s 19-point, six-rebound performance led Butler to a commanding 81-70 win.
Butler center Yohan Traore started that game for SMU, scoring nine points and adding five rebounds. Former Butler guard Chuck Harris led SMU with 21 points.
Butler won just two road games last season, finishing 2-9. The Dawgs performed well in neutral site games going 4-3, but their first true road game was a 28-point loss at Houston.
Per KenPom, SMU is ranked nearly 300 spots better than each of Butler’s last three opponents. Despite the easy early schedule, Bizjack said work during practice has prepared them for a step up in competition.
“Our coaching staff has done a really good job of making us compete in practice,” Bizjack said after Tuesday’s win over Chicago State. “I feel like every day is like going to war. Not just today, but every game we play has felt easy because what we’ve done in practice is a million times harder.
“I wouldn’t change a thing about our schedule and we’re ready for the road ahead.”
Junior center Kevin Ndzie (back) has also been ruled out ahead of Saturday’s game. Starting point guard Jalen Jackson practiced in a limited fashion Thursday and is questionable after re-aggravating the ankle he dislocated during the summer against Chicago State.
If Jackson were to miss the game, Robinson and grad transfer Yame Butler will assume a majority of his minutes. Bizjack can also play guard, but he thrives off the ball.
