Butler basketball has passed its first true road test of the year by going on the road and taking down Ole Miss. What were the biggest takeaways?
Butler basketball continues to impress with every single game so far this season. Ever since the opening tip of the Dawgs’ first exhibition game this year, this team has felt different. Head coach LaVall Jordan has instilled a tremendous winning mentality in his squad and it is showing with every single performance. Butler is playing with outstanding discipline as a result and its balance as a unit is impossible to ignore. After starting the season 7-0 with three high-major wins, the Dawgs were rewarded with a spot in the AP top-25 followed by a road date with Ole Miss.
And they responded by showing why they earned that ranking.
Even though this was Butler’s first true road game of the year, the team showed very few signs of weakness en route to a nine-point victory. The Dawgs came out with an excellent gameplan on both ends of the floor and seriously looked the part of being one of the best teams in the country. Once they were able to open up a sizable lead, Butler simply never looked back. The team led for 39:09 of the 40-minute game. That is sheer domination.
Even when the Rebels were able to make a comeback in the middle of the second half, the Dawgs just responded by ramping up their defensive effort and relying on their star power to carry the weight offensively. This is a well-balanced team that understands how to work as one and that was on display against the Rebels. Despite some imperfections in this performance, Butler still walked away victorious over Ole Miss by a score of 67-58.
Now, with the final buzzer having sounded, let’s dive into some of my biggest takeaways from the win for Butler basketball.