Butler Basketball: Takeaways from victory over New Orleans

3. Butler exudes balance across all facets.

Balance will be the name of the game for Butler this season. Even though the Dawgs feature a superstar talent in Kamar Baldwin, the key to success over the course of this campaign will be receiving several contributions from each member of the rotation in every single game. That much has been evident across Butler’s first 160 minutes of play on the court this season and should continue into the future. Four different players scored in double-figures during this matchup and that is a result of the entire team’s willingness to move the ball.

As already mentioned, Butler recorded assists on 62.1% of made shots against New Orleans while only turning the ball over six times. Aaron Thompson was clearly the main reason for these successes but the rest of the roster also looked to make the right read on every possession. The Dawgs consistently made the extra pass when available and the idea that seemingly every lineup features five capable passers leads to elite-level ball movement. Butler’s coaching staff deserves a ton of credit for this as the team’s playmaking is significantly improved compared to last season.

Furthermore, the team made the proper adjustments when New Orleans applied heavy pressure on the defensive end. The Dawgs struggled for the first few minutes when the Privateers extended their defense but then emphasized back cuts to counteract their opponent’s aggression. This worked beautifully for a few finishes at the rim and then forced UNO to back off their pressure.

Lastly, although this following takeaway is not strictly confined to Butler’s performance against New Orleans, it is important to mention that the team has successfully overcome adversity in just the first few weeks of the season. The Dawgs have definitely exceeded preseason expectations in their first two games of the year while having to deal with injuries, illnesses, and a one-game suspension endured by Jordan Tucker.

Speaking of Tucker, he filled a major role in his season-opener with 16 points on 4-for-8 shooting. The Dawgs needed some to emerge with Baldwin hampered by injury and he filled in with a strong performance. Tucker looked a little out of place in Butler’s two exhibition games but that did not appear to be the case against New Orleans. He functioned within the offense and rarely forced the action.

Every player on the roster is ready to step up when called upon and that is an example of Butler’s balance this year. Expect that to continue against higher-level competition, especially with Kamar Baldwin regaining his health and Christian David/Derrik Smits hopefully returning to the rotation. Those three at 100% health could push the team to continue exceeding expectations.

It is hard to find a ton of fault in Butler’s performance against New Orleans. The team started off extremely hot from the field, defended at a high level, and showed the team chemistry that Butler fans have grown accustomed to seeing in the past. The Dawgs now sit at No. 25 in KenPom’s national rankings.

Next up: Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-1) at Butler Bulldogs (2-0) at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 12th in Hinkle Fieldhouse.