Butler played perhaps its best 20 minutes of the season in the first half against UC Irvine; despite a slow second half, the Bulldogs had done enough to end up prevailing 71-54. UC Irvine came into the game with an 11-2 record and is still considered one of the favorites in the Big West. The Bulldogs picked up a quality win and looked far superior doing it.
Jordan Tucker had a fine first half, showcasing his abilities that the Bulldogs have been so excited about. He scored 13 points and was complemented by the sharpshooting of Paul Jorgensen who scored 9 in the first half.