Carmel Hero Seals Thrilling Double-Overtime Victory for Butler in Last-Second Showdown

What a rollercoaster that matchup was! Butler basketball dug deep and pulled off a gritty 113-110 victory over Providence in double overtime—talk about a nail-biter. Evan Haywood, who’s been quietly climbing the ranks as one of Butler’s sharpshooters, nailed the decisive three-pointer with just 35 seconds left to give the Dawgs the edge. Meanwhile, Michael Ajayi showed why he’s a force to be reckoned with, leading the team with 28 points and 15 rebounds. This win wasn’t just another notch on the schedule; it’s a pivotal moment that could shape Butler’s Big East journey. Buckle up—there’s a lot to unpack from this clash of titans.

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INDIANAPOLIS — In a wild, back and forth game, Butler basketball holds on to beat Providence 113-110 in double overtime.

Evan Haywood hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 35 seconds left in double overtime.

Michael Ajayi led Butler (8-2, 1-0 Big East) with 28 points and 15 rebounds.

Here’s what I liked and disliked, and what the win means.

What I liked about Butler basketball’s win over Providence

It may go unnoticed, but Drayton Jones’ ability to guard the high ball screen is a huge asset to Butler’s defense. Jones has the foot speed to hedge and recover, quickly getting back into position and preventing an entry pass to his man. Jones processes the game at a high level, showing why he said the game was slowing down for him heading into Big East Conference play.
Haywood had a game to remember. The Carmel native started the game 4 for 4 with three made 3-pointers. His 11 first-half points were just three away from his career high of 14. Haywood’s quickly proven to be one of the better shooters on the team. If he’s knocking down shots, he’ll continue to earn extended minutes. Haywood finished with 18 points.
One game after Boise State used Butler’s pressure defense against it to get back cut after back cut, Butler did the same to Providence. Jamie Kaiser Jr. scored on consecutive back cuts in the first half. Finley Bizjack and Azavier “Stink” Robinson also added baskets on back cuts in the first half.
Ajayi continues to show why he’s one of the best two-way players in the Big East. His willingness to dive on the floor and steal the ball from Jason Edwards swung the game in Butler’s direction. His boards and defense down the stretch helps seal the win.

What I disliked about Butler’s win

After a strong start on the boards, Providence won the rebounding battle early. The Friars outrebounded Butler 19-17 in the first half. The Friars turned seven offensive rebounds into eight second-chance points. Many of the offensive rebounds were on long shots, but the Dawgs needed to do a better job of boxing out and corralling the ball.
Against a team that shoots a high number of 3-pointers, Butler had to do a better job keeping pace. In the first half, Haywood’s three 3-pointers were the only made 3-pointers by a Butler player. Five Friars made 3-pointers in the first half.
Edwards entered play as Providence’s leading scorer and it took Butler most of the game to realize that. Edwards has one of the quickest releases in the nation, and the Dawgs regularly gave him too much space on the catch, allowing him more than enough space to get his shot off. Kaiser switched onto Edwards in the second half, but that was after he’d already scored 15 points. Edwards finished with a game-high 32 points.
Players not named Haywood struggled from 3. Butler shot 10 for 29 from 3, but they made them when it counted most.

What the win means

This was a win Butler had to have. The Dawgs entered as the favorite at home, and they did what they had to do to win the game. Beating Providence (7-5, 0-1) will help the Dawgs’ resume come March. The next step for this program is knocking off the big dogs St. John’s and UConn.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball score today vs Providence, Big East game stats, record