Michael Ajayi and Butler will have a quick turnaround for their nonconference finale against NJIT on Monday afternoon in Indianapolis.
Butler (9-3) held off Northwestern 61-58 in the Indy Classic on Saturday at the Indiana Pacers’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs will be back at their Hinkle Fieldhouse home on Monday, tipping off just 46 hours after their previous game began.
Ajayi had 19 points and a career-high 20 rebounds for Butler in the win over Northwestern. On a day the Bulldogs shot 37.9% from the field — their second straight game below 40% — he helped them score 13 second-chance points and earn a plus-six advantage on the glass.
“Whenever I’m not scoring, I just try to crash (the glass) as much as possible,” Ajayi said afterward. “… Trying to find the ball as much as I can to help our team.”
After a season of mostly coming off the bench at Gonzaga, Ajayi is a key part of Butler’s starting five, averaging 16.8 points and 12.3 rebounds per game.
NJIT (4-8) will be challenged in the frontcourt but should rely on starting center Malachi Arrington, who has averaged 5.8 points on 60% shooting from the field and 5.6 rebounds in a breakout sophomore season. Arrington’s coach, Grant Billmeier, was a center in his playing days as well.
“He’s taught me a lot of how to be a presence in the post, with the ball, without the ball, defense, offense, everything,” Arrington said on the Jersey Jump Shot podcast. “Just how to see the game different.”
NJIT’s top four scorers are guards: David Bolden (11.8 ppg), Ari Fulton (11.1), Sebastian Robinson (8.1) and Jeremy Clayville (7.5). Fulton had a team-high 11 points in NJIT’s most recent game, a 65-49 loss to Sacred Heart on Dec. 13.
Injury-wise, Butler coach Thad Matta said Jamie Kaiser Jr. (14 points vs. Northwestern) rolled his ankle and X-rays had come back negative. It’s unclear if Kaiser will suit up against NJIT given the short turnaround.
–Field Level Media
