Butler Basketball: Keys to success at St. John's in 2019-20

Butler Basketball: Keys to success at St. John’s in 2019-20

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Head coach LaVall Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs looks on against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the first half of the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 16: Coach Jordan of the Bulldogs. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Butler basketball will open its Big East schedule by traveling to the Empire State and taking on St. John’s. What should the Dawgs prioritize?

There’s no denying that Butler basketball has been one of the best teams in the country so far this year. With that said, though, the non-conference slate is now complete and the Dawgs need to maintain their same high level of play heading into the Big East schedule. Butler was once projected to be a bottom-feeder in the league this season but after starting the season at 11-1 with several big-time wins, the team is now widely viewed as one of the favorites.

The Big East, as a whole, is arguably the deepest conference in the country this season but Butler has earned its place among the top contenders for the title. That will not mean anything, though, if the team is not able to live up to that hype and secure consistent victories. Winning away-from-home, most notably, will be an extremely difficult task for anyone in the Big East.

That is exactly how Butler’s conference schedule will begin, though, as the team will travel to the Empire State to take on St. John’s just a few hours before the calendar flips to 2020.

Not only does this matchup mark the conference-opener for both teams but it also signifies a meeting between two of the most pleasant surprises in all of college basketball so far this season. Butler and St. John’s were both expected to finish in the bottom three of the Big East this year but are touting a combined record of 23-3 heading into this game with eight KenPom Top 100 wins between them (six by Butler).

Butler might be the nationally-ranked team (and expected favorite) in this game but St. John’s will boast the home-court advantage in Carnesecca Arena. With tip-off approaching, let’s dive a bit deeper into this matchup by analyzing St. John’s as an opponent, three potential keys to success for Butler, and a pregame Hark’s Bark.

(Statistics were found via KenPom and Haslametrics unless otherwise noted.)