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Butler Basketball: Keys to success against Wofford in 2019-20

By Lukas Harkins

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Lavall Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs is seen during the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Hinkle Fieldhouse on December 30, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Lavall Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs is seen during the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Hinkle Fieldhouse on December 30, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – MARCH 23: Hoover of the Terriers celebrates. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – MARCH 23: Hoover of the Terriers celebrates. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Opponent Intel: Wofford Terriers

Following up arguably the best campaign in program history is never easy, but that is exactly what Wofford is attempting to do this season. Behind the superb coaching of Mike Young and the superstar duo of Fletcher Magee/Cameron Jackson, the Terriers terrorized the nation last season. To put their sensational year into perspective, think about this: Wofford did not lose a game between Christmas and mid-March. That is when they fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Kentucky as a No. 7 seed.

Wofford ended the year with a 30-5 (21-0 SoCon) record, including postseason play. Prior to the season, Wofford’s average final KenPom ranking had been just 192.3, with a high of No. 82 (2010), since the inception of the system in 2002. They finished 18th in 2018-19.

Looking at this particular campaign, though, it will be very difficult to replicate anything close to that level of success. In addition to losing both Magee (20.3 ppg) and Jackson (14.5p/7.6r/2.8a) to graduation, head coach Mike Young also took his brilliant basketball mind to the ACC as he is now the head coach at Virginia Tech.

With that said, though, the basketball program appears to be in great hands as they promoted top assistant Jay McAuley to the top job. McAuley has coached under the trees of Young, Chris Holtmann, and Niko Medved in his career so he should keep Wofford’s offensive scheming at an elite level. Additionally, there is still a fair amount of talent on the roster for this campaign.

That hasn’t been particularly evident to start this season on the court but nobody should be worried. It could take a few weeks for the Terriers to click completely following their offseason departures. Through three games, Wofford holds a 2-1 record that includes wins over Erskine (non-D1) and High Point (No. 326 KP) as well as a disappointing home loss to William & Mary (No. 207). The team is now about to embark on a four-game road trip and they will need their star players to show up in order to snag a couple of wins.

Most notably, Nathan Hoover is back as one of the top shooters in the entire nation. While he definitely benefited from the defensive attention that Magee/Jackson received last season, there is no doubt about the fact that Hoover can make opponents pay from distance. The 6-foot-4 wing averaged 13.6 points per game last season while shooting 46.9% from beyond the arc on 196 total attempts. Coach McAuley will look to constantly run him around screens this season to find open shots from three. Hoover is incredible in catch-and-shoot opportunities even if he is not a tremendous self-creator.

That is where starting point Storm Murphy will need to excel. A big-time returner from last season, Murphy dictates the offense for the Terriers and also boasts an elite 3-point stroke of his own. The 6-foot-0 guard started all but one game last season and averaged 8.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game on hyper-efficient shooting splits of .500/.472/.844 in a supporting cast role. Murphy has already emerged as one of Wofford’s top scoring options this season as he is definitely someone to monitor.

Rounding out the starting backcourt is rising sophomore Ryan Larson. A strong ball-handler with great passing instincts, he helps take some of the playmaking burden off of Murphy’s shoulders. He is not a top scorer for the Terriers but can be a fairly reliable 3-point threat and moves the ball effectively. He fits the system quite well.

Tray Hollowell is the clear-cut No. 1 reserve in the backcourt and will be the sixth man of the team. He is averaging 10.7 points per game through three contests so far this season with a more pronounced role.

In the frontcourt, Wofford turns to Trevor Stumpe and Chevez Goodwin in the starting lineup. Stumpe, a full-time starter as a small-ball power forward two years ago, is returning after missing most of last season. During his last healthy campaign, Stumpe averaged 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He is a known commodity even after only playing nine games in 2018-19. Goodwin, on the other hand, only averaged 13.3 minutes per game last season and it will be interesting to see how he performs in a much more significant role. At 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-9, respectively, these two do not boast a ton of size for Wofford’s frontcourt but they are quite skilled.

They do, though, have major shoes to fill.

While Magee is likely to be the most well-known loss for the Terriers this season, he is more easily replaced with the aforementioned guards and their perfect fits in the team’s system. Cam Jackson, on the other hand, was a tremendous contributor in the paint as the second star for the Terriers. His departure leaves a similar hole to Magee but there are no clear-cut incumbents to provide even close to the same impact. Wofford also lost 6-foot-9 sophomore Keve Aluma to transfer and he was a full-time starter last season alongside Jackson.

To put it simply, Wofford’s biggest weaknesses this season definitely sit in the frontcourt. While Stumpe is a solid all-around performer, he still stands at just 6-foot-5 and starts at the “4” for the Terriers. That could prove to be a major weakness for the team against high-major opposition. Considering Wofford is about to play three straight high-major road games, Stumpe will need to outplay his size and regain his footing quickly after missing most of last season.

With regard to Wofford’s playing style, expect the team to shoot a ton of threes. The Terriers do not play a frenetic pace offensively but they are constantly setting screens to create open looks for shooters. Fletcher Magee put on a clinic last season with his off-ball movement and expect that Nathan Hoover will be able to fill that role as the No. 1 perimeter option this season. He might not be as deadly as Magee but he is definitely in the upper-echelon of shooters in the country.

The Terriers have the potential to light it up from beyond the arc against any opponent but lack true interior threats and will likely be a below-average defensive team. Wofford will be carried by its offense and any off shooting nights could lead to ugly results on the scoreboard.