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Pittsburgh at Butler
Indianapolis, IN | 6:30 PM ET | Peacock
Butler has started its regular season by letting it fly from beyond the arc. But after shooting 36-for-87 (41.4%) in home wins over Lafayette and FDU, the Bulldogs’ efficiency came crashing down in a road loss to Boise State last weekend; they shot just 8-for-36 (22.2%) on their 3-point attempts, and saw their defense surrender 17-for-35 (48.6%) from deep to the Broncos. Butler trailed by double digits for the entire final 26 minutes in Boise, and will need a better shooting performance in front of its home fans to bounce back against an ACC opponent.
Pittsburgh enters the game ranked 256th in 3-point attempt rate allowed, a continuation of ranking sub-230 in the category every season since 2019. The 3s could be there, and in what might be an evergreen statement this season, the Bulldogs could go as their shooters go. Jalen Jackson is the table-setter but has also been hot from three to begin the year; around him, Asim Djulovic and Eduardo Klafke are shooting it well, as is Jordan Ellerbee off the bench. Starting forward Treyson Anderson is just 5-for-19, while reserves Samis Calderon and Samu Adler are a combined 5-for-24. Those three, in particular, have to connect at higher rates to support the core trio of Jackson/Djulovic/Klafke.
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