Caitlin Clark’s Boyfriend in Hot Waters as Connor McCaffery & Butler Remain Too Small for Big East
With Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend Connor McCaffery’s entry into the coaching team, Butler Bulldogs were projected to have a breakout year. And honestly, the beginning of their campaign was just that. Carrying their last season’s momentum, they began with a 7-3 record. However, the Butler loyalists soon realized that Clark’s good luck is no longer working for them and McCaffery and Co. need to do something quick because as the season unfolds, the Bulldogs remain trapped at the bottom of the Big East standings.
Connor McCaffery’s time with Butler has been full of challenges. With a worrisome 0-5 record in conference play, the Bulldogs’ latest 80-76 loss to the Creighton Bluejays made things even worse for them. This puts them alongside DePaul as the only Big East teams without a conference win this season. With each game, it feels like the squad is getting closer to a historical low, as their eight-game losing skid begins to resemble the program’s worst runs.
They now face the real threat of setting a new program record for consecutive losses. An all-too-familiar feeling for fans who remember the dismal 1980-81 season when Butler endured 12 straight defeats.
It has been painfully clear that they are having trouble on the court. The Bulldogs used to score an average of 76.6 points per game. But lately, they have been putting up a lot less, 71.6 ppg to be precise. During their losing streak, they’ve averaged just 66.1 points per game and have shown they can’t keep up with the speed of Big East basketball.
Interestingly, as Connor McCaffery’s team struggles, his connection to Caitlin Clark has become an area of growing discussion among fans. Clark, the Iowa sensation and reigning WNBA ROTY, has been a consistent courtside presence at Butler’s games. She brought energy and hope into the games but at first, her presence was good luck to the Bulldogs. Now, as the losses mount up, fans are questioning whether her presence, once a lucky charm, is actually helping the club win?
Butler’s losing streak has gotten even worse since following Clark’s absence from a game against Houston on December 7, 2024. And of course, fans have come up with an interesting notion about her absence. Could she have been the boost the team needed, and now that she’s not there, the Bulldogs can’t get back on track?
Clark’s appearance may have helped make the players and fans feel better. But don’t forget that other factors are likely to matter more with how well the team does. The Bulldogs have been unable to hold leads or win in crunch time.
They lost to Villanova last week, blowing a 13-point lead late in the game and losing 79-51. There have been plenty who have voiced their disapproval of head coach Thad Matta and how he has guided his squad. While the team is struggling both offensively and defensively, it is not just because of a person in the stands missing.
Regardless, it’s hard to ignore how furious fans are feeling. Many have resorted to social media to express their unhappiness with the team’s performance, forcing Butler to disable comments on their posts. Fan anger has been directed at both the players’ poor play and Matta’s failure to improve things.
As Butler continues its tough campaign, the Bulldogs face a critical period in their season. Butler’s upcoming games against Seton Hall and DePaul may provide a glimpse of hope. But if they don’t show significant improvement, Butler risks going deeper into the Big East standings. The team’s coaching staff and Connor McCaffery will now have to deal with their weaknesses if they hope to salvage the rest of the season.
