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Butler Basketball: Keys to success in rivalry matchup against Xavier

By Lukas Harkins

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) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 06: Jorgensen and McDermott
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 06: Jorgensen and McDermott /

1. Take advantage of open looks from distance.

Butler basketball is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the nation. Yes, even though the Dawgs started their last game ice cold from beyond the arc, they still rank in the top-100 nationally in 3-point percentage (36.2%). To put it simply, this team can be extremely hard to beat when their shooters are on their game. And by shooters, I basically mean the entire roster as just about everyone is a threat. With that said, though, the top snipers on the team are Sean McDermott, Paul Jorgensen, and Jordan Tucker.

In this matchup, Butler’s playmaking guards should consistently look to the perimeter for open looks. This is due to the fact that, through the opening two months of the year, Xavier has done a relatively putrid job defending the arc. Statistically, the Musketeers are allowing opponents to hit 35.6% from deep (249th-highest clip) while also attempting 42.5% of their total shots from beyond the arc.

Xavier likes to switch up defensive schemes from time to time but Butler’s guards, Kamar Baldwin and Aaron Thompson most notably, should be able to probe the inside and kick out for open jumpers. Butler is a team that can really build up a lead with its 3-point shooting and burying some deep shots early in this game should also help to take out the crowd’s energy.