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Butler Basketball: Keys to success at home against Georgetown in 2018-19

By Lukas Harkins

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 16: Paul Jorgensen #5 of the Butler Bulldogs reacts after a three point basket during the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Hinkle Fieldhouse on November 16, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 16: Paul Jorgensen #5 of the Butler Bulldogs reacts after a three point basket during the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Hinkle Fieldhouse on November 16, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 18: Head coach Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs reacts. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – MARCH 18: Head coach Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs reacts. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

1. Come out with energy

One of the biggest concerns from the Butler fanbase regarding the team’s loss to Florida this past weekend was the lack of energy out of the gate and effort later on during the game. This is a rare criticism for a program that is built on “The Butler Way” but the criticisms were, for the most part, warranted. The Dawgs have simply struggled to win away from home under head coach LaVall Jordan (as beat writer David Woods discussed this past week) and that is something that will need to change in Big East play.

Butler’s NCAA Tournament hopes are still very much alive but the team will need to finish above-.500 in conference play to go dancing (they are currently projected to accomplish this by most predictive metrics). In order to do this, though, the Dawgs need to win at least one game on the road while also defending the hallowed ground that is Hinkle Fieldhouse. And with conference play kicking off this week against Georgetown, there is no better time to start playing with renewed energy than the present.

Students will still be on Winter Break but the Hinkle faithful will surely still be out in droves for this mid-week matchup. In addition to just feeding off of the energy of the home crowd, the Dawgs should come out with an intense fire that Georgetown will not be able to match. Butler should be hungry for a dominant performance considering their play against Florida this past weekend and they might just come out of the locker room like a freight train.