Busting Brackets
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Butler Basketball: Takeaways from victory over New Orleans

By Lukas Harkins

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 10: Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs passes the ball 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: Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs passes the ball 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: Coach Jordan of the Bulldogs reacts. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 06: Coach Jordan of the Bulldogs reacts. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

2. Rebounding will be a strength for Butler.

New Orleans entered this contest with a great reputation on the offensive glass. While the Privateers might not always compete against Big East-level competition, they did exhibit the 44th-best offensive rebounding rate in the entire nation last season. That is not something to scoff at. Nonetheless, though, Butler was absolutely dominant with regard to snagging defensive boards in this contest.

Most notably, Bryce Nze led the way with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds (five offensive). With that said, though, it is a testament to Butler’s balance this season that every single player that took the court recorded a defensive rebound. It was clear that the Dawgs prioritized avoiding giving up second-chance opportunities in this one and every player made an impact in that area. The team showed plenty of discipline by boxing out on seemingly every miss.

To use Coach Jordan’s words from Butler’s postgame press conference…“It’s a possession game. We’re trying to minimize errors and be efficient with our possessions.” The Dawgs definitely excelled in those areas against New Orleans by exhibiting a  +13 rebounding advantage and a +15 margin in points off turnovers. Both of those numbers are particularly impressive as Butler not only played to its strengths but also beat New Orleans at its own game.

The Dawgs boast capable rebounders this season compared to last year and they also play with a ton of discipline with regards to boxing out. They are also showing far more aggression and physicality underneath in the frontcourt and that is paying dividends. Butler will not be outworked on the glass very often this season.