Pittsburgh vs Butler prediction: Butler's three-point flood tests Pitt's rebuilt, ball-hawking backcourt at Hinkle
Ronald Nored's Bulldogs shot threes on nearly two of every three attempts in their opener, and a Pitt roster made almost entirely of newcomers may have the hands to make them pay for sloppiness.
- Expect a quick game with Butler launching threes; Pitt's turnover pressure and scoring guards decide whether the Bulldogs' giveaways swing it.
- Butler's ball security against Pitt's hands: the Bulldogs turned it over on 25.6% of possessions, while Pitt's steal rate ranks 39th.
- No spread or total is posted yet. Both teams covered and went over in openers, and Butler's 65.7% three-point attempt rate will shape the total.
Two rosters built from scratch
Neither team that takes the floor Friday resembles the one that finished last season. Pitt brings back just 2.0% of last season's minutes after adding 11 transfers, and Jeff Capel's roster carries 13 first-year Panthers. Butler, in Ronald Nored's first season at his alma mater, returns 11.8% of its minutes.
That makes last season's 13-20 Pitt team and 16-16 Butler team a weak guide. The better evidence is what the transfers did elsewhere and one game of film each, both lopsided home wins over overmatched opponents. Pitt beat Rider, ranked 357th in adjusted net efficiency. Butler handled Lafayette, ranked 318th.
Nored lets it fly
Nored's first game showed a clear identity. Butler took 65.7% of its shots from three, the 3rd-highest rate in Division I, and made 36.4% of them. The Bulldogs scored 20 points in the first five minutes against Lafayette.
The shooting came from new faces. Freshman Asim Djulovic scored 19 points and Florida Gulf Coast transfer Jordan Ellerbee hit 4 of 6 threes. Jalen Jackson, who dealt with a leg injury in the preseason, played the opener and scored 18, closing his first half with a step-back buzzer-beater three.
Pitt can answer from deep too. Jonathan Powell made 6 of 9 threes against Rider.
Turnovers are Butler's tax
The flaw in Butler's opener was the ball. The Bulldogs gave it away on 25.6% of their possessions (turnover rate, per 100 possessions), which ranks 312th. That's a manageable cost against Lafayette and a real one against Pitt.
The Panthers swiped the ball on 18.1% of Rider's possessions, 39th nationally. Every live-ball steal is a possession Butler's shooters never get. Butler can claw some back on the glass: it grabbed 50.0% of its own misses, 23rd in the country.
Pitt's freshman spark and transfer core
Pitt's best player in the opener came off the bench. Freshman Chase Foster scored 23 points on a team-high 28.5% usage, the share of possessions he finished. Syracuse transfer Naithan George ran the offense with 8 assists.
A'lahn Sumler is the scorer to watch. He averaged 19.0 points at Charleston Southern last season and needed only six shots to reach 12 against Rider. Mercer transfer Armani Mighty, who averaged 10.6 rebounds there last season, gives Capel the size to contest Butler's work on the offensive glass.
Hinkle history and the game's shape
This is the 15th meeting and the first since Pitt beat Butler 68-62 in overtime in the 2012 College Basketball Invitational semifinals. Butler leads the series 8-6, and the return game is set for Pittsburgh in 2027.
Both teams played fast in the opener. Butler ran 77.5 possessions per 40 minutes and Pitt 72.5, and both openers went over the closing total. Butler will have more film by Friday: it hosts FDU on Wednesday and visits Boise State on Sunday.
- Butler's turnover count in the first 10 minutes
- Foster's minutes and shot volume off the bench
- Whether Pitt's size limits Butler's second chances
Key players
- Jalen Jackson (Butler): Played through a preseason leg issue to score 18 points on 4-of-6 threes in the opener.
- Asim Djulovic (Butler): Scored 19 points in 22 minutes in his debut, hitting 4 of 6 threes.
- Eduardo Klafke (Butler): The Ole Miss transfer posted 13 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists against Lafayette.
- Drayton Jones (Butler): Butler's top returner blocked 4 shots and went 4 of 4 from the field in the opener.
- Chase Foster (Pittsburgh): Led Pitt with 23 points off the bench on 28.5% usage against Rider.
- Jonathan Powell (Pittsburgh): Made 6 of 9 threes for 18 points in the opener.
- A'lahn Sumler (Pittsburgh): Averaged 19.0 points at Charleston Southern last season and scored 12 on six shots in his Pitt debut.
- Naithan George (Pittsburgh): The Syracuse transfer handed out 8 assists with 2 steals against Rider.
Numbers that matter
| Butler 3-point attempt rate | 65.7% | Third-highest share of threes in Division I through the opener, the core of Nored's offense. |
|---|---|---|
| Butler turnover rate | 25.6% | Ranks 312th, a vulnerability against a Pitt team that forces turnovers. |
| Pitt steal rate | 18.1% | Ranks 39th and targets Butler's loose ball handling. |
| Butler offensive rebound % | 50.0% | Ranks 23rd and gives Butler second chances off missed threes. |
| Pitt returning minutes | 2.0% | Almost nothing carries over from last season's 13-20 team. |
Pittsburgh vs Butler: quick answers
When is Pittsburgh vs Butler?
Friday, November 13, 2026 at 6:30 PM ET.