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Game Summary
The Butler Bulldogs had another sluggish first half on Tuesday night against Morehead State – this time, they didn’t pay for it. The Eagles kept it close early on, but were no match for Butler in the long-run. Butler outscored Morehead State 52-41 in the second half and cruised to an 85-69 victory at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Kelan Martin and Paul Jorgensen led the way for Butler with 20 and 16 points, respectively – all of Jorgensen’s points coming in the second half. Three other Bulldogs – Tyler Wideman, Kamar Baldwin, and Nate Fowler – were in double figures.
Morehead State came out firing, attempting 30 three-pointers. Sophomore Djimon Henson led all scorers with 22 points in his hometown of Indianapolis, but the Eagles fell short on the road again, their record away from home sliding to 0-7.
Takeaways
Home Sweet Hinkle
Butler has enjoyed a significant advantage on its homecourt for years now, and 2017-2018 appears to be no different. The Bulldogs are 7-0 at home, and with conference play looming, Butler will need to dominate in Indianapolis. With a fairly weak non-conference resume, Butler will need to split victories with some of the Big East’s top teams in order to hope for an at-large bid.
Paul Jorgensen is a microwave
Paul Jorgensen’s ability to get hot in a hurry plays well for the Bulldogs. Against Purdue, Jorgensen scored 13 second-half points to temporarily turn a blowout into a ballgame, and on Tuesday he put Morehead State away with his hot shooting. If the Bulldogs can keep games against the likes of Villanova, Xavier, and Seton Hall close, Pauly J might be able to push them over the top.
The Bulldogs are as ready as they’ll ever be for conference play
Butler has destroyed a lot of cupcakes, lost to a handful of solid teams, and won a thriller over Ohio State so far this season. With one more game against Western Illinois this week, Butler is as ready as it’ll ever be for conference play. The truth? The Bulldogs don’t appear to be very prepared. But the time for preparation is nearly over.
Looking Ahead
Butler next plays against Western Illinois on Thursday, while Morehead State will take on Tennessee State after Christmas.