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Butler Basketball: Grades and reactions from 2018-19 exhibition games

By Lukas Harkins

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 18: Head coach Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs reacts during the first 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)
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 18: Head coach Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs reacts during the first 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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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 06: McDermott #22 and Jorgensen #5 of the Butler Bulldogs celebrate. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 06: McDermott #22 and Jorgensen #5 of the Butler Bulldogs celebrate. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Player Grades

Kamar Baldwin: After a strong performance against Tiffin in Butler’s first exhibition game, Baldwin really struggled to get going against Southern Indiana. In fact, he shot just 2-for-11 from the floor against USI and finished with only six points. He was, though, impressive as a playmaker in both games even if his scoring was not there. He finished with nine assists to just three turnovers. Considering the high expectations facing the junior guard this season, fans are hoping to see more in the regular season. Grade: C.

Aaron Thompson: Thompson was about as advertised in both preseason games. His defense was solid and created well for others but did not put up a ton of points. He came away with three steals and dished out seven assists to just one turnover. He may not have scored a ton (14 total points) but picked his spots well (6-for-9 FG). Grade: B.

Paul Jorgensen: Arguably the most impressive player for Butler during the exhibition slate, Jorgensen started both games and performed admirably on both ends of the floor. One of only three Bulldogs to record back-to-back double-digit scoring performances, Jorgensen led the team in scoring by chipping in 35 total points (15-for-29 FG). Hard to argue with his production. Grade: A.

Henry Baddley: Another extremely impressive performer so far, Baddley really looked like the “sixth starter” for the Dawgs. Already a known commodity due to his high-energy defense, Baddley showed he could be a capable scorer in the exhibitions. He posted 28 total points (12-for-20 FG) across 42 minutes. If he can be a reliable 7-10 ppg scorer this season, that will greatly help the team. Quite simply, Butler is just better when he is on the floor. Grade: A.

Campbell Donovan: A walk-on sophomore, Donovan only played seven total minutes in the exhibitions and did not record a basket. He did commit two fouls, though. Grade: Not enough minutes to determine.

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Jerald Gillens-Butler: Now a sophomore, JGB’s role for this season remains cloudy, in my opinion. He saw a fair amount of playing time during the two exhibitions (27 total minutes) but was not particularly impressive. He was the ninth man in the rotation and it will be interesting to see how deep Coach Jordan’s in-season rotation goes this season. Grade: C. 

Sean McDermott: Many have high expectations for McDermott heading into this season, especially as a scorer. Yet, if these exhibitions are any indication, it may take some time for him to develop into a go-to secondary scorer behind Baldwin. He attempted only 13 total shots across the two games and recorded 19 total points. The potential is there, though. Grade: B-.

Christian David: The third man off the bench for the Dawgs, David was fairly effective in his minutes. Similar to last year, he struggled with consistency on his jumper but could be a solid depth piece this season. If he is able to knock down perimeter jumpers with regularity, David will be a difficult matchup for opponents due to his size. He contributed 12 points (5-for-11 FG) in 33 total minutes across both games. Grade: C+.

Joey Brunk: Quite possibly the most pleasant surprise for the Dawgs early, Brunk showed plenty of promise in both exhibition games. Even though the level of competition may have played a role in how successful Brunk was, he dominated the paint when on the court (41 minutes). In addition to his scoring (25 points) and rebounding (15 boards), Brunk flashed some solid vision and passing out of the post. He seemed under control with the ball in his hands and rarely forced anything. Grade: A. 

Nate Fowler: Even though Fowler started both exhibition games, he played less total minutes than Brunk (37-to-41). Similar to last season, it seems likely that Coach Jordan will run a platoon at center. And considering these two big men boast very different games, this could pose problems for opponents. Fowler was not particularly impressive in either exhibition game but also held his own. A versatile threat, it will be interesting to see how often he steps out for jumpers this season. The senior provided 16 total points (5-for-12 FG) in the exhibitions. Grade: B-.