2. Force turnovers
Speaking of strong perimeter defense, Butler’s guards should have ample opportunities to force turnovers in this matchup. Indiana, who starts two freshmen in the backcourt, has struggled a bit with taking care of the ball in the early going so far this year. Statistically, the Hoosiers rank 258th in the nation in offensive turnover rate (20.7% of possessions end in turnovers). This bodes well for a Butler defense that forces turnovers on 21.2% of defensive possessions (73rd nationally).
And while obviously creating turnovers will limit IU’s offense, it would also unleash Butler’s scoring potential. To this point in the year, Butler’s offense has stagnated on many occasions in the halfcourt due to the idea that Paul Jorgensen and Kamar Baldwin are the only two players who can consistently seek out their own shots. This is why playing effective defense and creating transition opportunities will be so important. Most notably, a fastbreak led by point guard Aaron Thompson seemingly always ends in a great look at the rim or from distance for the Dawgs.
So this key has a potential two-pronged effect on the outcome of this game. If Butler is able to force Romeo Langford and Rob Phinisee (among others) into turnovers, then they will have set the tone defensively and therefore control many facets of the game. Indiana big man Juwan Morgan projects as a huge matchup nightmare for the Dawgs and one way to neutralize his impact is by limiting his offensive touches. Pressuring IU’s guards might be the solution.