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Butler Basketball: Keys to success against Louisiana Monroe in 2019-20

By Lukas Harkins

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 21: Derrik Smits #21 of the Butler Bulldogs shoots the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 21, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 21: Derrik Smits #21 of the Butler Bulldogs shoots the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 21, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 14: Ertel of the Warhawks drives, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 14: Ertel of the Warhawks drives, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

Opponent Intel: Louisiana Monroe Warhawks

Louisiana Monroe, as already mentioned, comes into this game with a 4-6 record. With that said, though, only two of those victories have come against Division-I opposition and the other two came at home against Alcorn State and Northwestern State (both of whom are ranked outside of the KenPom Top 320). The Warhawks are also currently in the midst of a four-game losing streak, although those defeats have come by a total of just 16 points.

Nonetheless, Louisiana Monroe is now ranked at No. 274 in KenPom and No. 282 by the NET. The Warhawks were widely regarded as one of the worst teams in the Sun Belt heading into this season and their play on the court has not changed that opinion. After a stellar offensive season a year ago thanks to the presences of Daishon Smith and Travis Munnings, the team has fallen back into struggles on that end of the floor while remaining below-average defensively.

As a brief overview, here is how Louisiana Monroe is performing in key statistics (national ranking):

Adjusted Offensive Efficiency: 96.9 (241st)

Adjusted Defensive Efficiency: 105.4 (286th)

Adjusted Tempo: 64.8 (342nd)

As for top individual contributors to monitor, the bulk of Louisiana Monroe’s offensive firepower comes in the backcourt. Michael Ertel, a 6-foot-2 junior guard out of Mount Vernon High School, is leading the way with 16.7 points per game while senior JD Williams isn’t far behind at 16.0 points. Those are the only two players on the roster averaging in double-figures so far this season with another guard, Jalen Hodge, as the third option.

On the whole, Louisiana Monroe likes to slow down the pace of games and is mostly defensively-oriented. The Warhawks have, though, struggled on both ends of the floor and it’s hard to foresee them playing up to Butler’s level in this game. This is due to the fact that they are below-.500 on the season while having played just one game against a KenPom Top 140 opponent (lost to Mississippi State by 17).

The Warhawks are a strong 3-point shooting team but do not attempt a ton of shots from distance. Additionally, they are consistently dominated in the turnover and rebounding battles even against low-level competition. The Warhawks can be dangerous if Ertel/Williams catch fire, but they haven’t been very successful yet this season as a team.