Butler Basketball: Keys to success against Miami (OH) in 2018-19

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 18: Head coach LaVall Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs reacts during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 18, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 18: Head coach Jordan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

The regular season is finally here for Butler Basketball. What aspects of the game will be most important for the Dawgs to secure a season-opening win?

Butler basketball is back. After months of waiting and two exhibition battles, the 2018-19 regular season is finally here for Butler hoops. Now entering Year 2 under head coach LaVall Jordan, expectations for the team are reasonably (and predictably) high. Even though the program had to bid farewell to two incredibly valuable seniors in Kelan Martin and Tyler Wideman, the returning core coupled with the consistency factor of Butler bode well for this upcoming campaign.

And at the forefront of the excitement surrounding the Bulldogs this year is guard Kamar Baldwin. Already a superstar on both ends of the floor, the sky is seemingly the limit for the junior out of Winder, GA. For the first time in his collegiate career, Baldwin will be the go-to offensive option for Butler and it will be exciting to see what extra tricks he has hidden up his sleeve for this coming year.

However, Coach Jordan will need production from more than just Baldwin in order to put together another strong campaign. Most notably, seniors Paul Jorgensen and Nate Fowler will reprise major roles from last season while juniors Sean McDermott and Henry Baddley look poised for breakout campaigns.

With this said, it is easy to see why Butler fans are excited about competing for another potential NCAA Tournament bid this season. And the first opponent on that path to the Big Dance will be Miami (OH). A mid-level team from the MAC, the RedHawks may not be an incredibly challenging opening opponent but they could cause some problems this early in the year.

So, with tip-off rapidly approaching, let’s break down three potential keys to success for Butler against Miami.