3 reasons Butler basketball beat New Orleans: Manny Bates dominates in Dawgs debut

The second installment of the Thad Matta era of Butler men's basketball got off to an impressive start. The Bulldogs cruised to a season-opening 89-53 win over New Orleans at Hinkle Fieldhouse. All five starters reached double figures, with Manny Bates' 25 points leading the way.

Transfers Manny Bates, Eric Hunter Jr. shine

North Carolina State transfer Manny Bates dunked his way into the hearts of Butler faithful with a stellar debut against New Orleans. Bates threw down one-handed slams in transition, two-handed jams under the basket, caught alley-oops and capped his night with driving one-handed poster dunk over a helpless Privateers defender. Bates finished with a team-high 25 points and 11 rebounds, showing all the signs of a dominant post player the Bulldogs haven't seen, maybe ever.

"It just felt good to be back out there, especially seeing the court as packed out as it was today," Bates said "I feel like the fans gave me so much energy tonight. Gotta thank them for that too."

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Not a gentle giant: Butler center Manny Bates ready to unleash his inner beast

Bates started at center and immediately provided a shot-blocking force for the Bulldogs. He finished with three blocks. His size at 6-11 and excellent positioning allowed him to alter several shots at the rim. When he did receive the ball on the block, Bates showed patience with his footwork and the touch to finish at the rim. Once he gets the ball in close, he has the strength to dunk just about everything and lobs inside are an effective offensive strategy Butler fans should get used to.

Purdue transfer and Tindley grad Eric Hunter Jr. played a key role in his Butler debut as well. Hunter manned the point guard spot and provided steady defense on the perimeter. Hunter was aggressive in the halfcourt, attacking the basket for layups and throwing home a one-handed slam off a high screen from D.J. Hughes. Hunter finished with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and two assists.

Injured Bulldogs avoid injury scare

Late in the first half, the Bulldogs' already short rotation suffered quite the scare when Simas Lukosius took an elbow to the face. The sophomore laid on the court for several minutes before leaving to the locker room. Lukosius didn't start the second half, but he emerged from the locker room with a bandage on his nose, ready to play.

Brownsburg grad Pierce Thomas played well in Lukosius' absence, notching three steals and using his elite athleticism to contest shots and shoot into the passing lane, leading to a breakaway dunk.

Injuries to frontcourt players Jalen Thomas, Myles Wilmoth and Ali Ali left Butler with just two true post players in Bates and senior reserve John-Michael-Mulloy. Myles Tate seems to have a set role in the Butler rotation. When Ali and Wlimoth return, Matta must decide if Thomas and Hughes have shown enough to continue receiving extended playing time.

Hughes, Tate and Pierce were the only subs to receive extended playing time against New Orleans. Freshman Connor Turnbull scored two points in four minutes. Butler avoided a scare with Lukosius, but the Bulldogs cannot afford anymore injuries.

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Bulldogs struggle from deep

Against New Orleans, Butler had an obvious athleticism advantage, allowing its guards to drive the lane at will. The attacking offense style led to 54 points in the paint and 25 points in transition. They shot an efficient 56% from the field, but one area where they struggled was from 3-point range.

The Bulldogs shot just 1-of-12 from 3 in the first half and 4-for-24 overall. Jayden Taylor and Lukosius both started 0-of-5 from 3. Front court injuries force the Bulldogs to go small when Bates leaves the game. If they cannot make opponents pay from distance, Bates will be asked to shoulder quite the load inside.

Lukosius has the playmaking ability to be an All-Big East type player, but he'll need to improve his shooting from distance. The sophomore shot just 28% from 3 last season. If he can keep defenders honest and prevent them from sagging off, his passing skills open up unlimited options for the Butler offense.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball: Manny Bates dominates in win over New Orleans