Indiana University’s men’s basketball team will meet Butler University in a home‑and‑home exhibition series during the 2026‑27 season, with the opener slated for October 11, 2026 at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and the rematch scheduled for sometime in 2027 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
A renewed rivalry
The Hoosiers enter the series with a 40‑15 edge over the Bulldogs after 55 regular‑season meetings that date back to 1901, and they have taken the last two encounters, the most recent a 68‑60 victory in the 2020‑21 season highlighted by Trayce Jackson‑Davis’ 21 points.
Butler will be guided by first‑year head coach Ronald Nored, a former Bulldog player who coached at the school from 2008 to 2012 before returning to lead the program. Nored has assembled a roster that includes five transfer additions — Christian Moore, Eduardo Klafke and Samis Calderon — and the four‑star recruit Herly Brutus, who is expected to bolster the frontcourt.
The exhibition schedule also features games against Western Kentucky at the Ford Center in Evansville on October 25, 2026 and a showdown with North Carolina at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on October 18, 2026, giving the Hoosiers a varied slate of opponents before the regular season begins.
Indiana’s recent campaign ended with an 18‑14 overall record and a 9‑11 mark in Big Ten play, marking the third straight year the team missed the NCAA Tournament. The season concluded with a 74‑61 loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament on March 11.
Fans can look forward to a series that blends tradition with new storylines, as the Hoosiers aim to translate early‑season experiments into momentum for the upcoming campaign.