- Matchup: Lafayette Leopards vs Butler Bulldogs
- Event Date: Monday, November 2, 2026
- Venue: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
- Broadcast: ESPN+
This page may include affiliate links at no extra cost to you, thanks for your support.
The Lafayette Leopards, who finished last season with an 11-21 record, will visit Hinkle Fieldhouse on Monday to face off against the Butler Bulldogs, who ended last year at 16-16.
In their most previous outing, the Lafayette Leopards suffered a defeat against Holy Cross, losing 82-77. The Leopards committed 13 personal fouls, while Holy Cross had 18. Lafayette managed to convert 8 out of 24 three-point attempts. Holy Cross excelled at the free-throw line, hitting all 18 shots they took. On the boards, Holy Cross secured 32 rebounds, including 8 offensive rebounds, but did not record any blocked shots. They also distributed 22 assists and achieved 5 steals during the game. Defensively, the Leopards allowed their opponents to shoot 46.7% from the field, hitting 28 of 60 shots. Lafayette recorded 18 assists, forced 7 turnovers, and achieved 2 steals. They gathered a total of 26 rebounds, with 2 being offensive. At the free-throw line, the Leopards converted 15 of 18 attempts, resulting in an 83.3% shooting rate. Overall, Lafayette finished with a shooting percentage of 49.1% from the field (26 of 53) and hit 10 out of 21 attempts from beyond the arc.
Caleb Williams made a significant impact in the game, shooting 55.6% from the field and providing 1 assist. He played for 32 minutes and secured 6 rebounds, finishing with 16 points on 5 of 9 shooting.
The Leopards enter this matchup following a challenging year with an 11-21 record. They averaged 69.4 points per game, ranking 320th nationally, while shooting 42.8% from the field. Lafayette’s three-point shooting stood at 32.1%, hitting 236 of 735 attempts, and they converted 69.0% of their free throws. The team averaged 33.1 rebounds per game and tallied 436 assists, placing them 216th in Division 1 in assists per contest. They recorded an average of 10.4 turnovers and committed 16.3 fouls per game.
Defensively, Lafayette managed to force 10.7 turnovers per game and drew 17.3 personal fouls on average. They struggled to contain assists, finishing 309th nationally by allowing 506 to their opponents. The Leopards held their opponents to a shooting percentage of 46.1% (857 of 1,857) and averaged 35.8 rebounds per game. They allowed 35.6% on three-point attempts and were ranked 196th in allowing points per game with an average of 74.4.
In their last game, the Butler Bulldogs fell to Providence, with a final score of 91-81. Butler allowed Providence to grab 33 rebounds overall, 6 of which were offensive. The Bulldogs shot 51.9% from three-point range, making 14 of 27 attempts, and finished the game by converting 9 of 13 free-throw attempts (69.2%). Defensively, they permitted Providence to shoot 34 of 65 from the field, resulting in a shooting percentage of 52.3%. Butler shot 30 of 65 overall, achieving a shooting percentage of 46.2%, and made 5 of 17 three-pointers (29.4%). They went to the free-throw line 21 times, connecting on 16 shots for a 76.2% conversion rate. Providence was whistled for 16 fouls, allowing the Bulldogs opportunities at the free-throw line. Butler also recorded 21 defensive rebounds and 4 offensive boards for a total of 25 rebounds.
Michael Ajayi proved vital for the Bulldogs during the contest, scoring 21 points in 34 minutes of play, along with 4 assists. He shot 7 of 17, achieving a shooting accuracy of 41.2%, while grabbing 11 rebounds.
Butler concluded their previous season with a 16-16 record. Offensively, the Bulldogs hit 45.2% of their shots from the field, ranking 180th in college basketball. Over the course of the previous year, Butler scored a total of 2,540 points (79.4 points per game) and averaged 37.8 rebounds per contest. They also recorded 15.5 assists per game, which ranked 81st in Division 1, while averaging 11.3 turnovers per game. The Bulldogs committed 15.3 fouls on average and shot 71.9% from the free-throw line.
Defensively, Butler ranked 282nd in points allowed per game, surrendering an average of 77.5 points. They managed to force 10.8 turnovers per contest while allowing opponents to shoot 45.7% from the field, placing them 264th nationally. Butler’s defense permitted 33.3% from beyond the arc (255 of 765) and allowed opponents to hit 71.8% of their free-throw attempts. They also conceded an average of 13.6 assists and 34.3 rebounds per game, ranking 181st and 176th in the nation respectively.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA contest against the spread?
Prediction: Back Lafayette
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission always at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping us keep this site running.
