First half flurry carries balanced Butler past Georgetown in Big East opener

Butler handled its business in its Big East opener, pulling away late in the first half and cruising to a 74-64 win Tuesday against Georgetown in Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Four Bulldogs finished in double figures with Pierre Brooks II and Posh Alexander having 13 points each. Alexander played great on-ball defense, adding five steals to go along with seven assists. Jahmyl Telfort and D.J. Davis added 12 points each.

Here's three takeaways from Butler's first conference win.

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Butler ends first half with a flurry

The first half between Butler (10-2) and Georgetown wasn't the most beautiful brand of basketball early on.

Both teams struggled to score, going on multiple extended scoring droughts. Butler's most consistent performer, Telfort, started 0-for-5 from the field, and Davis looked hesitant to fire from deep after air-balling a 3 from the halfcourt logo.

Then, everything clicked for the Bulldogs. Telfort broke his scoring slump with a driving layup. Brooks got downhill on a fastbreak and barreled his way to the hoop for two points. After the Hoyas missed their fourth consecutive shot, Alexander found Davis for a transition 3, putting the Dawgs up 34-25 with 2:23 left in the half.

Butler's defensive barrage continued, turning a turnover into points for Jalen Thomas. Alexander, the ever-pesky defender, swiped the ball away from Jayden Epps on Georgetown's next possession and went coast-to-coast for the layup.

Butler ended the half on a 13-2 run and took a 13-point lead into halftime.

Butler turned seven first-half turnovers into seven points. The Dawgs finished with 15 points off turnovers.

D.J. Davis finds his range, exits with second-half injury

Davis, the sharpshooter from California is showing he's more than just a long-range specialist. Davis started Tuesday's game against the Hoyas by attacking the basket. At just 6-1, Davis is an adept finisher at the rim, converting floaters and scoring through traffic. He made a team-high four free throws in the first half, and recovered from a slow start from 3, sinking his next two treys.

Davis led all scorers with 12 first-half points, but he suffered a right ankle injury early in the second half and limped to the locker room. He briefly returned to the bench before limping back to the locker room. He was ruled out for the rest of the game shortly after.

If Davis is to miss extended time, I'd expect freshman Finley Bizjack or sophomore Landon Moore to fill his role in the starting lineup.

Butler fixes rebounding woes

Georgetown forward Supreme Cook exploited Butler's deficiency on the boards in the first half. Cook went 4-for-5 with five rebounds. Four of Cook's rebounds were offensive, helping the Hoyas generate 12 second-chance points.

Butler slowly fought back on the glass, ending the first half with a 19-16 advantage. After halftime, Butler continued leading in rebounding, and limited Georgetown to just five second-chance points.

Butler used center Andre Screen to slow down Cook in the paint, subbing in the transfer from Bucknell whenever Cook entered the game. Screen's length bothered Cook, holding him to 1-for-3 shooting in the second half.

Butler finished with a 37-29 advantage on the boards. Jalen Thomas led Butler with eight rebounds. Screen added three rebounds.