Michael Ajayi's strong outing lifts Butler over Northwestern

Michael Ajayi piled up 19 points and a career-high 20 rebounds as Butler held on for a 61-58 victory over Northwestern in the opener of the Indy Classic doubleheader on Saturday in Indianapolis.

Ajayi's ninth double-double of the season, tied for second-most in the nation, enabled the Bulldogs (9-3) to pull through on a day when leading scorer Finley Bizjack finished with a season-low six points.

Jamie Kaiser Jr. contributed 14 points for Butler - two off his career high - before leaving the game with a left ankle injury with 8:51 to go.

Jayden Reid posted 14 points and six assists for Northwestern (7-5), which played without Nick Martinelli (21.9 ppg) due to a concussion suffered in practice. The nation's No. 7 scorer had not missed a game since Jan. 15, 2023, when he was a freshman yet to earn a rotation spot.

Butler flunked its first six possessions before Kaiser cashed a 3-pointer to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead shortly before the first media timeout.

Max Green came off the bench to drill a 3-pointer and take a give-and-go from Arrinten Page to the hoop for a layup - giving Northwestern an 11-9 lead midway through the first half - but Butler didn't let the Wildcats lead much longer.

Evan Haywood (11 points) converted a 3-point play, then Kaiser drove for a layup. When Haywood spotted Kaiser for an open 3-pointer, that gave Butler a 20-15 lead with 7:37 left and forced Northwestern to call a timeout.

The Wildcats failed six straight possessions near the end of the half, but K.J. Windham hit a 3-pointer with 36 seconds left to pull Northwestern within 29-23 at the break.

After missing his first six 3-point attempts, Bizjack finally got into the scorebook with a 3-pointer with 18:08 left to help the Bulldogs go on a 7-2 spree to start the second half and take the game's first double-digit lead.

Northwestern gradually reeled in Butler. Reid's drive and hanging layup cut the deficit to 55-53 with 3:43 to play. Page's post-up for a three-point play with 1:54 left pulled the Wildcats within 57-56, but Tre Singleton missed an open 3-pointer on the next possession.

Ajayi answered by posting up for a layup, then Singleton sank a jumper with his toe on the 3-point line. Haywood swished two free throws with 19.8 seconds left to restore Butler's lead to three, then Windham's step-back 3-point attempt to tie banged off the rim.

Butler missed three free throws that would have put the game out of reach, which allowed Reid to hoist a running 35-footer that banged off the glass and the rim at the buzzer.

--Field Level Media