BUTLER

Michael Ajayi and Finley Bizjack lead Butler to 79-72 win over South Carolina

AP
Nov 21, 2025

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Michael Ajayi had 15 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks on Friday and Finley Bizjack scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half to help Butler Bulldogs beat South Carolina Gamecocks 79-72 at the Greenbrier Tip-Off.

Jamie Kaiser Jr. added 14 points on 5-of-5 shooting and Jalen Jackson scored 10 points for Butler (4-1)

The Bulldogs never trailed and used a 10-0 run midway through the first half to take a 12-point lead with 7:17 left until halftime. Yame Butler stole a pass from Meechie Johnson, was fouled and hit two free throws before Ajayi blocked a shot that led to a fast-break layup by Kaiser to cap the spurt.

Johnson led South Carolina (4-1) with 24 points and Mike Sharavjamts and Eli Ellis added 13 points apiece.

Kobe Knox and Ellis sandwiched 3s around a layup by Sharavjamts to trim South Carolina's deficit to 56-52 midway through the second half. Drayton Jones answered with a dunk before Bizjack hit a 3-pointer that made it a nine-point lead and it was at least a two-possession game the rest of the way.

The Bulldogs shot 61% (14 of 23) in the second half and made 27 of 56 (48%) overall while they outscored South Carolina 42-32 in points in the paint. Butler outrebounded the Gamecocks 47-26, which included a 15-9 advantage on the offensive glass, and outscored them 23-10 in second-chance points.

It was the first-ever matchup between the programs.

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1st Half
SCAR
Gamecocks
31
BUT
Bulldogs
38

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Bulldogs gains possession)
19:17		Finley Bizjack misses three point jump shot
19:15		Jamie Kaiser Jr. offensive rebound
19:11	+2	Jamie Kaiser Jr. makes two point layup	0-2
18:53		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
18:51		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
18:47		Mike Sharavjamts personal foul
18:44		Michael Ajayi misses two point layup
18:42		Drayton Jones offensive rebound
18:35		Mike Sharavjamts blocks Drayton Jones's two point layup
18:33		Hayden Assemian defensive rebound
18:02	+2	Hayden Assemian makes two point layup (Kobe Knox assists)	2-2
17:46		Michael Ajayi misses three point jump shot
17:44		Drayton Jones offensive rebound
17:39	+2	Jalen Jackson makes two point jump shot	2-4
17:17		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
17:15		Kobe Knox offensive rebound
17:09	+2	Kobe Knox makes two point layup	4-4
16:53	+2	Jalen Jackson makes two point layup	4-6
16:33		Mike Sharavjamts misses three point jump shot
16:31		Jamie Kaiser Jr. defensive rebound
16:14		Yohan Traore misses two point layup
16:12		Yohan Traore offensive rebound
16:12		Nordin Kapic shooting foul (Yohan Traore draws the foul)
16:12		Yohan Traore misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:12	+1	Yohan Traore makes regular free throw 2 of 2	4-7
15:56		Jalen Jackson shooting foul (Kobe Knox draws the foul)
15:56		TV timeout
15:56	+1	Kobe Knox makes regular free throw 1 of 2	5-7
15:56	+1	Kobe Knox makes regular free throw 2 of 2	6-7
15:32	+2	Yohan Traore makes two point layup	6-9
15:05		Meechie Johnson misses two point layup
15:03		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
14:59		Finley Bizjack misses two point layup
14:57		Kobe Knox defensive rebound
14:54		Azavier Robinson shooting foul (Meechie Johnson draws the foul)
14:54		Meechie Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:54		Meechie Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:54		Yohan Traore defensive rebound
14:29		Yohan Traore misses two point layup
14:27		Michael Ajayi offensive rebound
14:25		Michael Ajayi misses two point layup
14:23		Bulldogs offensive rebound
14:22	+2	Evan Haywood makes two point layup (Azavier Robinson assists)	6-11
13:53		Eli Ellis misses two point layup
13:51		Grant Polk offensive rebound
13:51		Azavier Robinson shooting foul (Grant Polk draws the foul)
13:51		Grant Polk misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:51	+1	Grant Polk makes regular free throw 2 of 2	7-11
13:39		Evan Haywood misses three point jump shot
13:37		Bulldogs offensive rebound
13:34		Grant Polk shooting foul (Yame Butler draws the foul)
13:34	+1	Yame Butler makes regular free throw 1 of 2	7-12
13:34	+1	Yame Butler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	7-13
13:10		Elijah Strong misses three point jump shot
13:08		Jordan Butler offensive rebound
13:04	+2	Jordan Butler makes two point layup	9-13
12:52		Jackson Keith misses three point jump shot
12:50		Elijah Strong defensive rebound
12:39		Yame Butler shooting foul (Eli Ellis draws the foul)
12:39	+1	Eli Ellis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	10-13
12:39		Eli Ellis misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:39		Drayton Jones defensive rebound
12:22		Jalen Jackson misses two point layup
12:20		Jackson Keith offensive rebound
12:12		Jackson Keith misses two point layup
12:10		Jordan Butler defensive rebound
12:06		Jordan Butler misses three point jump shot
12:04		Yame Butler defensive rebound
11:57		Elijah Strong shooting foul (Drayton Jones draws the foul)
11:57		TV timeout
11:57	+1	Drayton Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2	10-14
11:57	+1	Drayton Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2	10-15
11:33		Elijah Strong misses three point jump shot
11:31		Bulldogs defensive rebound
11:13		Jalen Jackson misses two point jump shot
11:11		Gamecocks defensive rebound
10:49		Jamie Kaiser Jr. personal foul (Mike Sharavjamts draws the foul)
10:36	+2	Mike Sharavjamts makes two point layup	12-15
10:18	+2	Michael Ajayi makes two point layup	12-17
10:05		Jalen Jackson personal foul (Meechie Johnson draws the foul)
9:48	+3	Meechie Johnson makes three point jump shot (Eli Ellis assists)	15-17
9:30		Mike Sharavjamts shooting foul
9:30		Michael Ajayi misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:30	+1	Michael Ajayi makes regular free throw 2 of 2	15-18
9:14		Meechie Johnson misses two point layup
9:12		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
8:57		Eli Ellis personal foul (Michael Ajayi draws the foul)
8:50	+2	Michael Ajayi makes two point layup	15-20
8:36		Meechie Johnson turnover (traveling)
8:22		Michael Ajayi misses two point layup
8:20		Bulldogs offensive rebound
8:17	+3	Jack McCaffery makes three point jump shot (Finley Bizjack assists)	15-23
7:49		Eli Ellis misses two point layup
7:48		Gamecocks offensive rebound
7:48		TV timeout
7:47		Eli Ellis turnover (Yame Butler steals)
7:45		Kobe Knox personal foul (Yame Butler draws the foul)
7:45	+1	Yame Butler makes regular free throw 1 of 2	15-24
7:45	+1	Yame Butler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	15-25
7:26		Michael Ajayi blocks Meechie Johnson's two point layup
7:24		Yame Butler defensive rebound
7:16	+2	Jamie Kaiser Jr. makes two point layup (Azavier Robinson assists)	15-27
7:17		Gamecocks 60 second timeout
6:57		Michael Ajayi shooting foul (Meechie Johnson draws the foul)
6:57	+1	Meechie Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	16-27
6:57	+1	Meechie Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	17-27
6:44		Michael Ajayi misses two point jump shot
6:42		Myles Stute defensive rebound
6:27		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
6:25		Jamie Kaiser Jr. defensive rebound
6:17		Azavier Robinson turnover (Meechie Johnson steals)
6:12	+2	Meechie Johnson makes two point layup	19-27
6:01		Kobe Knox personal foul (Michael Ajayi draws the foul)
6:01	+1	Michael Ajayi makes regular free throw 1 of 2	19-28
6:01		Michael Ajayi misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:01		Mike Sharavjamts defensive rebound
5:46	+2	Mike Sharavjamts makes two point layup	21-28
5:46		Evan Haywood shooting foul (Mike Sharavjamts draws the foul)
5:46		Mike Sharavjamts misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:46		Yame Butler defensive rebound
5:37		Evan Haywood misses three point jump shot
5:35		Christ Essandoko defensive rebound
5:24		Mike Sharavjamts misses three point jump shot
5:22		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
5:13		Myles Stute personal foul (Michael Ajayi draws the foul)
5:13		Michael Ajayi misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:13		Mike Sharavjamts defensive rebound
4:55		Meechie Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Finley Bizjack steals)
4:48		Christ Essandoko shooting foul (Yohan Traore draws the foul)
4:48		Yohan Traore misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:48	+1	Yohan Traore makes regular free throw 2 of 2	21-29
4:29		Yame Butler personal foul (Jordan Butler draws the foul)
4:29	+1	Jordan Butler makes regular free throw 1 of 2	22-29
4:29	+1	Jordan Butler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	23-29
4:17		Finley Bizjack misses two point jump shot
4:15		Christ Essandoko defensive rebound
4:05	+3	Mike Sharavjamts makes three point jump shot (Meechie Johnson assists)	26-29
3:46		Yame Butler misses two point jump shot
3:44		Jordan Butler defensive rebound
3:29		Meechie Johnson misses two point jump shot
3:27		Jack McCaffery defensive rebound
3:23		Finley Bizjack turnover (bad pass)
3:23		TV timeout
3:04		Christ Essandoko misses two point jump shot
3:02		Yohan Traore defensive rebound
2:34		Finley Bizjack turnover (Jordan Butler steals)
2:22		Elijah Strong misses two point jump shot
2:20		Jamie Kaiser Jr. defensive rebound
2:04	+2	Jalen Jackson makes two point layup	26-31
1:44	+3	Grant Polk makes three point jump shot (Eli Ellis assists)	29-31
1:23	+2	Finley Bizjack makes two point jump shot	29-33
1:02		Elijah Strong misses two point jump shot
1:00		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
0:53		Jalen Jackson misses two point jump shot
0:51		Jalen Jackson offensive rebound
0:40	+3	Finley Bizjack makes three point jump shot	29-36
0:36		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
0:24	+2	Meechie Johnson makes two point layup	31-36
0:03		Michael Ajayi misses two point jump shot
0:02		Jamie Kaiser Jr. offensive rebound
0:01	+2	Jamie Kaiser Jr. makes two point layup	31-38
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
SCAR
Gamecocks
41
BUT
Bulldogs
41

Time		Play	Score
19:40		Mike Sharavjamts misses two point jump shot
19:38		Jamie Kaiser Jr. defensive rebound
19:25		Hayden Assemian personal foul
19:15	+2	Michael Ajayi makes two point layup	31-40
19:02		Mike Sharavjamts misses two point jump shot
19:00		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
18:54		Mike Sharavjamts personal foul (Michael Ajayi draws the foul)
18:40		Drayton Jones turnover (Mike Sharavjamts steals)
18:29	+3	Meechie Johnson makes three point jump shot (Mike Sharavjamts assists)	34-40
18:12		Finley Bizjack misses three point jump shot
18:10		Michael Ajayi offensive rebound
18:09		Hayden Assemian shooting foul (Michael Ajayi draws the foul)
18:09		Michael Ajayi misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:09	+1	Michael Ajayi makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-41
17:51		Eli Ellis turnover (Finley Bizjack steals)
17:39		Jalen Jackson misses two point jump shot
17:37		Meechie Johnson defensive rebound
17:27		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
17:23		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
17:23		Meechie Johnson personal foul (Jalen Jackson draws the foul)
17:11		Michael Ajayi misses two point layup
17:09		Kobe Knox defensive rebound
16:53		Myles Stute turnover (Jamie Kaiser Jr. steals)
16:49	+2	Jamie Kaiser Jr. makes two point dunk	34-43
16:36		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
16:34		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
16:28	+2	Jalen Jackson makes two point layup	34-45
16:28		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
16:28		TV timeout
16:14		Eli Ellis misses three point jump shot
16:12		Bulldogs defensive rebound
15:51		Finley Bizjack turnover
15:51		TV timeout
15:29		Elijah Strong misses two point layup
15:27		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
15:16		Myles Stute personal foul (Jalen Jackson draws the foul)
15:11		Eli Ellis personal foul (Jalen Jackson draws the foul)
15:07	+2	Michael Ajayi makes two point dunk (Yohan Traore assists)	34-47
14:50		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
14:48		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
14:40		Elijah Strong shooting foul (Yohan Traore draws the foul)
14:40		Yohan Traore misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:40	+1	Yohan Traore makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-48
14:24		Yohan Traore shooting foul (Elijah Strong draws the foul)
14:24	+1	Elijah Strong makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-48
14:24		Elijah Strong misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:24		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
14:08	+2	Michael Ajayi makes two point jump shot	35-50
13:56		Michael Ajayi personal foul
13:46	+2	Elijah Strong makes two point jump shot (Meechie Johnson assists)	37-50
13:30		Michael Ajayi misses three point jump shot
13:28		Meechie Johnson defensive rebound
13:12	+2	Mike Sharavjamts makes two point layup	39-50
12:49	+2	Finley Bizjack makes two point jump shot	39-52
12:28	+2	Meechie Johnson makes two point layup	41-52
12:28		Jamie Kaiser Jr. shooting foul (Meechie Johnson draws the foul)
12:28	+1	Meechie Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	42-52
12:14		Finley Bizjack misses two point jump shot
12:12		Christ Essandoko defensive rebound
12:03		Azavier Robinson shooting foul (Meechie Johnson draws the foul)
12:03	+1	Meechie Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-52
12:03	+1	Meechie Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-52
11:49	+2	Drayton Jones makes two point layup (Finley Bizjack assists)	44-54
11:29		Christ Essandoko misses two point hook shot
11:27		Azavier Robinson defensive rebound
11:17		Azavier Robinson misses two point layup
11:15		Drayton Jones offensive rebound
11:11	+2	Drayton Jones makes two point layup	44-56
11:03	+3	Kobe Knox makes three point jump shot (Meechie Johnson assists)	47-56
10:42		Azavier Robinson turnover (Kobe Knox steals)
10:35	+2	Mike Sharavjamts makes two point layup (Kobe Knox assists)	49-56
10:21		Christ Essandoko personal foul (Finley Bizjack draws the foul)
10:21		TV timeout
10:21		Finley Bizjack misses regular free throw 1 of 1
10:21		Mike Sharavjamts defensive rebound
9:58	+3	Eli Ellis makes three point jump shot	52-56
9:36	+2	Drayton Jones makes two point dunk (Finley Bizjack assists)	52-58
9:12		Finley Bizjack personal foul (Kobe Knox draws the foul)
8:59		Mike Sharavjamts misses two point jump shot
8:57		Gamecocks offensive rebound
8:55		Eli Ellis misses three point jump shot
8:53		Mike Sharavjamts offensive rebound
8:33		Michael Ajayi blocks Mike Sharavjamts's two point jump shot
8:31		Drayton Jones defensive rebound
8:24	+3	Finley Bizjack makes three point jump shot (Michael Ajayi assists)	52-61
8:09	+2	Mike Sharavjamts makes two point layup (Kobe Knox assists)	54-61
7:51	+2	Jalen Jackson makes two point jump shot	54-63
7:36		Kobe Knox misses three point jump shot
7:34		Jordan Butler offensive rebound
7:31	+2	Jordan Butler makes two point layup	56-63
7:01		Michael Ajayi misses two point hook shot
6:59		Drayton Jones offensive rebound
6:49		Jordan Butler personal foul (Finley Bizjack draws the foul)
6:49		TV timeout
6:49	+1	Finley Bizjack makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-64
6:49	+1	Finley Bizjack makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-65
6:28	+2	Meechie Johnson makes two point layup	58-65
6:02		Michael Ajayi misses two point layup
6:00		Myles Stute defensive rebound
6:00		Michael Ajayi personal foul (Myles Stute draws the foul)
5:33		Meechie Johnson misses two point layup
5:31		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
5:16		Yohan Traore turnover (Eli Ellis steals)
5:08		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
5:06		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
5:01	+2	Michael Ajayi makes two point dunk	58-67
4:39	+2	Eli Ellis makes two point layup	60-67
4:22		Finley Bizjack misses two point jump shot
4:20		Elijah Strong defensive rebound
4:09		Elijah Strong misses three point jump shot
4:07		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
3:56		Yohan Traore turnover (Kobe Knox steals)
3:48		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
3:46		Finley Bizjack defensive rebound
3:45		Kobe Knox personal foul (Finley Bizjack draws the foul)
3:45		TV timeout
3:45	+1	Finley Bizjack makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-68
3:45	+1	Finley Bizjack makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-69
3:31		Hayden Assemian misses two point hook shot
3:29		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
3:09	+3	Jamie Kaiser Jr. makes three point jump shot (Michael Ajayi assists)	60-72
2:52	+2	Eli Ellis makes two point layup	62-72
2:38		Jalen Jackson turnover (Eli Ellis steals)
2:34		Jalen Jackson shooting foul (Eli Ellis draws the foul)
2:34	+1	Eli Ellis makes regular free throw 1 of 3	63-72
2:34	+1	Eli Ellis makes regular free throw 2 of 3	64-72
2:34	+1	Eli Ellis makes regular free throw 3 of 3	65-72
2:14	+3	Finley Bizjack makes three point jump shot (Michael Ajayi assists)	65-75
1:50		Meechie Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Jamie Kaiser Jr. steals)
1:36		Eli Ellis shooting foul (Drayton Jones draws the foul)
1:36		Drayton Jones misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:36		Drayton Jones misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:36		Mike Sharavjamts defensive rebound
1:28	+2	Meechie Johnson makes two point jump shot	67-75
1:26		Gamecocks 60 second timeout
1:12		Evan Haywood turnover (Eli Ellis steals)
1:08	+2	Eli Ellis makes two point layup	69-75
0:58		Meechie Johnson personal foul (Jalen Jackson draws the foul)
0:58		Jalen Jackson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:58		Jalen Jackson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:58		Bulldogs offensive rebound
0:50		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
0:45		Kobe Knox personal foul (Finley Bizjack draws the foul)
0:45	+1	Finley Bizjack makes regular free throw 1 of 2	69-76
0:45		Finley Bizjack misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:45		Mike Sharavjamts defensive rebound
0:34		Meechie Johnson turnover (Jamie Kaiser Jr. steals)
0:30		Meechie Johnson personal foul (Jamie Kaiser Jr. draws the foul)
0:30		Jamie Kaiser Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:30	+1	Jamie Kaiser Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-77
0:22		Eli Ellis misses three point jump shot
0:20		Kobe Knox offensive rebound
0:16		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
0:14		Kobe Knox offensive rebound
0:12	+3	Meechie Johnson makes three point jump shot (Kobe Knox assists)	72-77
0:12		Jamie Kaiser Jr. shooting foul (Meechie Johnson draws the foul)
0:12		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
0:12		Meechie Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:12		Jamie Kaiser Jr. defensive rebound
0:09		Mike Sharavjamts personal foul (Jamie Kaiser Jr. draws the foul)
0:09	+1	Jamie Kaiser Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	72-78
0:09	+1	Jamie Kaiser Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	72-79
0:02		Meechie Johnson misses two point layup
0:01		Michael Ajayi defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Michael Ajayi defensive rebound