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Butler Basketball: 3 takeaways from the Bulldogs’ win over Providence

By Lukas Harkins

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 10: Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs passes the ball against the Villanova Wildcats at the Wells Fargo Center on February 10, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 10: Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs passes the ball against the Villanova Wildcats at the Wells Fargo Center on February 10, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 10: Head coach Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs looks on against the Villanova Wildcats at the Wells Fargo Center on February 10, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 10: Head coach Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs looks on against the Villanova Wildcats at the Wells Fargo Center on February 10, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

1. Second-half defensive adjustments made the difference

This game came down to Butler’s defense. After Providence started the game making seven of their first 10 shots, the Dawgs responded with remarkable effort on the defensive end of the floor. For the remainder of the game following that hot start, the Friars shot just 11-for-50 (22.0%) from the field. This defensive effort was what paced the Bulldogs and it eventually led to offensive efficiency.

The Dawgs made great adjustments in this game after Providence’s hot start. While some of this can be attributed to head coach LaVall Jordan, it was the players who made the changes. Everybody, from the star players to the benchwarmers, showed effort and desire on the defensive end. This shift in energy on that end of the floor allowed the Bulldogs to create turnovers and force miss shots.

All season long, Butler’s offense has thrived in coordination with their defense. While the Bulldogs can be effective in half-court offense, they are at their best when on the run. Butler has plenty of athletes that can attack the basket and enough shooters along the perimeter that can ignite the crowd with a deep bomb.

This game was a perfect example of how Butler’s offense feeds off of their defense. The team only scored six points off of turnovers in this game but they put up 15 points off turnovers. In this game, the Bulldogs showed just how good they can be when their defense is on. With four regular season games left, one has to wonder if this will be the performance that ignites a run.

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