Big East Basketball Rankings: SJU remains undefeated, DePaul surprising

Butler basketball has gotten off to a rather pedestrian start so far this season at 8-3. They do not have any resume-killing losses and can boast a couple of solid victories over SEC squads in Florida and Ole Miss. One of the more balanced teams in the nation, Butler has the ability to win with either its defense or its offense on any given night. Considering this, the Dawgs are currently ranked 31st in the nation and second in the Big East by KenPom.

What makes Butler so special, though, is their offensive balance and potential down the road. Behind star player Kamar Baldwin, the leading scorer of the team at 16.4 points, the Dawgs can seemingly rely on at least two or three players posting double-digit performances on every night. Paul Jorgensen and Sean McDermott are the two most likely secondary scoring candidates but it is important to mention how important the bench can be for Butler.

All seven major rotation players from the opening month of the year are currently averaging over five points per game. Oh, and this not even mention the ceiling-raiser for this team, Jordan Tucker, who has only played to games since becoming eligible. In those two games, the 6-foot-7 wing has already shown flashes of being a potential offensive superstar. He has scored 13 points in his first 20 minutes as a Dawg.

Looking ahead, Butler easily has the potential to compete near the top of the Big East this season. They have the star play of Baldwin, the leadership of point guard Aaron Thompson, and a bench that few teams in the conference can handle. Once everyone starts clicking, which has not quite happened yet, the Dawgs will be very dangerous.