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Butler Basketball: Keys to success in home matchup with Providence

By Lukas Harkins

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 1: Kyron Cartwright #24 of the Providence Friars dribbles the ball while being guarded by Kamar Baldwin #3 of the Butler Bulldogs in the first half at Hinkle Fieldhouse on January 1, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 1: Kyron Cartwright #24 of the Providence Friars dribbles the ball while being guarded by Kamar Baldwin #3 of the Butler Bulldogs in the first half at Hinkle Fieldhouse on January 1, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – FEBRUARY 20: Baldwin of Butler dribbles. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – FEBRUARY 20: Baldwin of Butler dribbles. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

With the clock ticking towards Selection Sunday, Butler basketball is right on the bubble. What will it take to snag a home win over Providence?

Butler basketball has four regular-season games remaining and is sitting right on the projected NCAA Tournament cutline right now. For the most part, bracketologists are split on whether or not the Dawgs would be in the Big Dance right now and therefore it is vital that the team makes it case for an at-large bid in the coming weeks. With the clock ticking towards Selection Sunday, Butler should focus on winning at least three of those games and there is no better time to start than this week in a home matchup with Providence.

Providence, who is typically one of the most consistent programs in the Big East, is certainly in the middle of a down season. And while their overall record (15-13) might not look too bad, the Friars are nowhere near the NCAA Tournament bubble at the moment and that has to be disappointing. Additionally, the team has floundered tremendously in conference play (partly due to injuries) as they hold just a 5-10 record in the Big East. They also lost their last game, which was a home outing against Marquette, by 18 points.

Butler, on the other end, has been playing fairly well as of late. The Dawgs have won three of their last five games and those two defeats came on the road against St. John’s (in overtime) and Marquette (by 10). With that said, though, this is pretty close to a “must win” game and head coach LaVall Jordan will hopefully has his team prepared to put on a show.

Now, without any further ado, let’s dive into three potential keys to success for Butler in this matchup.