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Butler basketball overcame a sloppy first half and bounced back from its home loss to Austin Peay to defeat Western Michigan, 85-65, on Monday at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
The Bulldogs (2-1) led by just two points at halftime, but pulled away in the second half, thanks to some hot outside shooting, namely Pierre Brooks II who led the way with 20 points and 4-of-5 shooting from behind the arc.
Augusto Cassia moves into starting lineup
Butler Bulldogs forward Augusto Cassia (0) goes in for a dunk Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, during the game at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
In a move that seemed inevitable, sophomore forward Augusto Cassia moved into the starting lineup, replacing center Andre Screen.
Cassia brings energy, versatility and high-level athleticism to the Dawgs lineup. His length allows him to guard positions 1 through 5, giving Butler flexibility on defense it does not have with Screen.
Butler’s first points of the game came on Cassia’s breakaway dunk. He flexed toward the Butler student section, visibly hyped up after the thunderous slam. He blocked a shot off the backboard, contested jumpers on the perimeter and altered shots at the rim. Defensively, Cassia brought everything Butler was lacking against Austin Peay.
Offensively, he’s still a work in progress. He missed a point-blank jumper in the first half, and he has to work on finishing through contact in the paint. Growing pains aside, Cassia’s upside is off the charts. More Cassia minutes will benefit Butler in the long run. He finished with 16 points, four rebounds and three blocks in 20 minutes.
Offensive problems alleviated, defensive issues persist
Through two games, Butler struggled to hold onto the ball. The Dawgs committed 19 and 16 turnovers, respectively. The offense was stagnant and motionless. The Dawgs couldn’t generate anything in transition or easy looks close to the basket. These Dawgs did not look like the team that could score with any team in the Big East last season.
Against Western Michigan, the offense…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/augusto-cassia-provides-spark-pierre-021442631.html
Author : Indianapolis Star
Publish date : 2024-11-12 02:14:00
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