Butler Bulldogs: 3 Thoughts on loss to Tennessee

Excellent 3-point shooting and and offensive rebounding had Butler well on its way to a victory by halftime, but the Bulldogs couldn’t handle Tennessee’s defensive pressure and fell 67-55. After the 3-pointers that gave Butler a 9-point halftime lead stopped dropping, Tennessee’s defense proved overwhelming. Here are three thoughts on the game that got away:

Kellen Dunham’s NBA range stretched Tennessee early

Dunham is one of the top 3-point shooters in the country, averaging 16.3 points per game on 48% 3-point shooting. He scores over half his points on shots from beyond the arc. He spent the first half camped out several feet past the 3-point line and hit four 3-pointers by the 19:08 mark in the second half.

Dec 14, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Butler Bulldogs guard Kellen Dunham (24) brings the ball up court against the Tennessee Volunteers during the game at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 67 to 55. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Dunham’s shooting caused Tennessee to over-extend its zone and allowed Butler to come away with 9 offensive rebounds in the first half. Even when he didn’t make the basket, the Bulldogs had regular opportunities for second-chance points that were regularly converted.

In the second half Dunham stopped knocking down his deep 3-pointers, hitting just one in the final 19 minutes of the game. Tennessee compacted its zone and the Bulldogs’ offense fell apart. Butler struggled to get into the middle of Tennessee’s defense, and the perimeter shots in the second half were regularly contested. Dunham’s first half success was vital to Butler jumping ahead, and his second half struggles contributed to the eventual defeat.

Butler didn’t have an answer for Tennessee’s pressure

While Butler proved to be a matchup nightmare for Tennessee in nearly every aspect of the game in the first half, the Volunteers’ full-court pressure helped erase its deficit in a hurry. Butler committed five turnovers in the entire first half to pull in front of Tennessee, and committed five in the first 5:53 of the second half to let the Volunteeers back into the game. The Bulldogs saw a 34-25 halftime lead quickly turn into a 37-37 tie.

The Bulldogs looked poised to survive the onslaught, trading baskets for several minutes while holding onto a slim lead. That changed when its offense sputtered down the stretch. Butler went almost five and a half minutes without a field goal, and could never knock down the shot to pull closer than three points before Tennessee pulled away.

Josh Richardson buried the Bulldogs in the second half

Tennesse’s leading scorer nearly single-handedly closed the 9-point halftime gap. Richardson, who went into halftime with just two points, scored the team’s first four buckets of the second half and brought Tennessee within three. Butler couldn’t deal with his athleticism, and Richardson took the game over. His active play on defense contributed to Butler’s 14 turnovers, while he drove the lane practically at will on offense. Nobody’s likely to remember Richardson’s slow start, as he finished the night with a game-high 20 points on 9-for-13 shooting.

Butler Bulldogs: 3 Thoughts on 67-55 Loss to Tennessee

By John Parker | Dec 14, 2014

Kellen Dunham’s NBA range stretched Tennessee early

Butler didn’t have an answer for Tennessee’s pressure

Josh Richardson buried the Bulldogs in the second half