Southern @ Butler preview

No. 19 Butler couldn't quite get to 10-0 for the first time since 2006-07 but will take a break from one of the toughest non-conference slates in the country when Southern visits Saturday. The Bulldogs fell behind Baylor by 16 in the first half on Tuesday, fought back but lost 53-52 when senior star Kamar Baldwin had his layup blocked with 1.5 seconds.

"It was kind of clear out and get the best shot available, try to go downhill," Baldwin said. "They stayed home and did a good job." Baldwin had 19 points to climb into Butler's Top 10 in career scoring along the way, and Sean McDermott had 16 points, including four 3-pointers, for the Bulldogs. "I'm proud of the way we responded and how we fought back. We just couldn't get that basket or two to flip the scoreboard. Our leadership and grit was really good in the second half, but we needed it for all 40 minutes tonight." The game was the fifth straight against a team from a major conference and sixth of the season for the Bulldogs, who rank 16th in offensive efficiency (110.8) and 18th in defensive efficiency (89.7).

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ABOUT SOUTHERN (3-7): The Jaguars are ranked 340th by KenPom and two of their three wins have come against non-Division I teams. Freshman Damiree Burns (9.8 points, 5.1 rebounds) and junior Brendon Brooks (5.5 points) each had 16 points but Southern fell at Wright State 85-62 on Thursday to extend its losing streak to three games. Burns leads the team in scoring despite starting just once, while 6-10 senior Amel Kuljuhovic adds 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 18 minutes.

ABOUT BUTLER (9-1): Baldwin (17.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 47 percent shooting) leads the team in scoring and is taking 36.4 percent of the Bulldogs' shots when on the floor - the 14th-highest rate in the country. McDermott (11.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 56 percent shooting, 48 percent beyond the arc), who didn't take a shot in the final 12 minutes against the Bears, has quietly been having an excellent season. The 6-6 senior is ranked third by KenPom in offensive rating (148.6), 11th in effective field-goal percentage (2- and 3-pointers, 72.1 percent) and 28th in turnover percentage (6.0) while making 17-of-19 free throws.

TIP-INS

1. Butler was the third team to fall for the first time this season on Tuesday after No. 1 Louisville and No. 4 Maryland lost earlier.

2. The Bulldogs have excelled at slowing the pace down, ranking 340th in adjusted tempo (63.9 possessions per 40 minutes).

3. Butler F Bryce Nze, a transfer from Milwaukee (10.3 points, 8.5 rebounds in 2017-18) who sat out last season, scored in double figures the first five games (13.6 points, 68 percent shooting, 7.6 rebounds) but just once in the last five games (8.2 points, 55 percent shooting, 6.0 rebounds).

PREDICTION: Butler 73, Southern 55