INDIANAPOLIS — The 2025-26 Butler basketball season has officially begun.
Butler hosted Notre Dame and former Butler assistant Micah Shrewsberry at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half, rallying back to shrink the deficit. Brady Stevens, son of former Butler coach Brad Stevens, sank two free throws late, sending Notre Dame to a 77-76 victory.
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Finley Bizjack led Butler with 16 points.
Cole Certa and Markus Burton led Notre Dame with 12 points each.
Here are four observations from the exhibition loss.
Finley Bizjack will be the primary scorer
Junior guard Bizjack has always been a confident shooter. Heading into Year 3 at Butler, Bizjack looks primed to take his game to another level. Bizjack was one of the few Bulldogs capable of generating consistent offense against Notre Dame. Bizjack shot 3 for 4 from 3, and added a three-point play with a strong drive to the basket in the first half. He scored 12 of Butler’s 29 first-half points.
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The additions of Jalen Jackson, Yame Butler and Azavier “Stink” Robinson free up Bizjack to play off the ball. Playing off the ball will allow Bizjack to hunt for his shot without looking to pass first, a role he was forced into last season.
Who will be Butler basketball’s second scoring option?
Bulldogs not named Bizjack struggled to score against the Fighting Irish. Michael Ajayi shot just 1 for 7. Jackson went 1 for 4. Last season, Butler had clear 1A and 1B scoring options in Jahmyl Telfort and Pierre Brooks II. Bizjack looks ready to be the first option. Expect Jamie Kaiser Jr. to become the 1B. Kaiser went scoreless in the first half before catching fire after halftime. He scored 12 points on 3 for 4 shooting from 3, he went 3 for 6 from the free throw line and added five rebounds.
Friday’s exhibition was Kaiser’s first live action in more than a year after sitting out all of last season with a foot injury. Kaiser looked good on offense but struggled on defense, committing five fouls in 20 minutes. The Maryland transfer may just be knocking off the rust, as playing defense at game speed is hard to simulate during practice.
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Drayton Jones (six points) looks to be a capable scorer in the post. Having a low-post threat will make life easier for the entire team, but I don’t think Butler wants to play with a big eating up a majority of the possessions and slowing down the pace of the offense.
Butler basketball freshmen show flashes
All of Butler’s active freshmen played against Notre Dame (Bryson Cardinal is redshirting), and they showed flashes of potential and areas they need to improve. Stink Robinson spent the most time with the ball, operating as the second-unit point guard. Jack McCaffery looked confident draining a 3-pointer. Efeosa Oliogu-Elabor showcased his high-level athleticism with strong drives to the basket and a put back to start the second half.
The freshmen combined for six turnovers and looked like players playing Division I basketball for the first time. None of the four started the game, allowing them to ease into their roles. Oliogu-Elabor looks most ready to contribute as a high-energy and effort player. Jackson Keith stood out throughout the offseason and I’d expect him to have his moments as the season progresses.
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Evan Haywood appears as Butler basketball’s sixth man
It’s probably not wise to gleam too much from an exhibition game, but Butler sophomore Evan Haywood was one of the first players off the bench against the Fighting Irish. Going from little-used freshman to sophomore role player would be a big jump for the former Brebeuf Jesuit standout.
Haywood had an inbounds play leading to a 3-pointer drawn up for him in the first half. He shot with confidence in the second half with the Dawgs trailing, hitting a 3-pointer from the corner with 10 seconds left, cutting Butler’s deficit to two. More playing time would be fitting for a player who showed marked improvement during offseason practices.
The next step for Haywood is improving on defense. The Carmel native said he added muscle in the offseason to better deal with the physicality of the Big East.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball score today vs Notre Dame, Finley Bizjack stats, freshmen
