Privateers fall in season opener against Big East power Butler

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The New Orleans men’s basketball program tried to hold on early in their regular season opener at Hinkle Fieldhouse but to no avail as they fell 53-89 to the Butler Bulldogs Monday evening.

Junior point-guard Jordan Johnson led the team with 15 points in his debut as a Privateer.

THE BASICS

FINAL SCORE: New Orleans – 53, Butler – 89
LOCATION: Hinkle Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, Indiana
RECORDS: New Orleans 0-1 (0-0 Southland), Butler 1-0 (0-0 BEC)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Johnson led the way for the Privateers with 15 points in 28 minutes of play. He went 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. the junior also added three assists, one board and three steals.
• Tyson Jackson wasn’t far behind with 14 points inside the paint while going 4-of-4 at the free-throw line. He also added a big block for the Privateers.
• Both Jamond Vincent and Khaleb Wilson-Rouse pulled down seven boards apiece. Wilson-Rouse chipped in five points, two helpers and three steals while Vincent added an additional four points and two assists.
• Seniors Daniel Sackey and Simeon Kirkland, both coming off of injuries, contributed five and four points respectively.
• The pair of true freshmen in Omarion Henry and Preston Murphy Jr. hinted at the potential dominance they could have that’ll come with more experience at the collegiate level. Henry picked up four points, two boards and one major block while Murphy Jr. had two points.
• New Orleans trailed by 25 at the half and showed improvement in the second half shooting 56%.
• Eight Privateers scored a basket in this one.
• New Orleans had five student-athletes make their New Orleans debut tonight: Marquez Cooper, Henry, Johnson, Murphy Jr., and Wilson-Rouse.
• Five Bulldogs scored in the double digits, with leading scorer Manny Bates recording a double-double (game-highs with 25 points and 11 rebounds).

NEXT UP
The Privateers will try to bounce back at home as they return to the iconic New Orleans Lakefront Arena for another non-conference game as well as Homecoming against St. Francis (Ill.), set for Saturday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN+ and aired locally on NASH ICON 106.1. The Voice of the Privateers, Jude Young, will be joined on color by Tic Price.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow @PrivateersHoops on Twitter, @PrivateersHoops on Instagram, like /PrivateersMBB on Facebook and subscribe to the PrivateerAthletics YouTube channel.