Big East Basketball: Projecting each team’s key player production for 2021-22

Butler: Myles Tate and Bo Hodges

Decrease in production: Myles Tate

As a freshman, Myles Tate was in and out of the starting line-up for head Coach LaVall Jordan. The 6’0 point guard started in eighteen of the twenty-five games he played, which included six of the first seven and the final five games of the season including the two conference tournament games.

The No. 98 ranked freshman from the 2020 class tore an ACL in his knee in the final conference game, prior to the injury. Prior to the injury, Tate averaged under seven points per game, an average that was bolstered by a twenty-two-point performance versus Seton Hall, while his scoring output coming off the bench was highlighted by scoring nine versus St. John’s.

With Aaron Thompson being cleared for non-contact as of Aug. 28, 2021, after a shoulder injury ended his 2020-21 season where he averaged 10.7 points per game, Thompson’s return will shift Tate to a role off the bench, when, Tate is in fact healthy enough to return.

Increase in production: Bo Hodges

The 6’5 guard played his first game for the Butler Bulldogs on Jan.30, 2021, after his transfer from East Tennessee State. Over his nine games, Hodges started five, while averaging almost 29 minutes and averaging slightly fewer than nine points. When not starting Hodges split time between playing off-guard and the small-forward position as Coach LaVall was able to implement a three-guard front.

The 2020-21 season will see Hodges be the first sub off the bench for Jair Bolden and Chuck Harris with Myles Tate not being ready to return by the season’s opening tip. With complete preseason and exhibition games to get into game shape, Hodges will be more than prepared to increase his production.