Butler Basketball: Keys to success on the road at DePaul in 2019-20
Opponent Intel: DePaul Blue Demons
DePaul will enter this contest having dropped its last four games but that doesn’t mean that the team isn’t very talented and dangerous. In fact, the Blue Demons have lost each of these games by single-digits and most recently took Villanova to overtime (on the road) before finally taking the defeat. Head coach Dave Leitao is working with easily his most talented roster and there is still hope for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid for this team considering their hot start in non-conference play.
Even with their struggles as of late, the Blue Demons are still 12-5 on the season with quality wins over Iowa, Minnesota, and Texas Tech. This home matchup with Butler represents a huge opportunity for them to get back into the win column while also securing a massive resume-builder for their postseason hopes.
With regard to how DePaul has gotten to this point, it all starts on the defensive end of the floor. The Blue Demons currently hold the 48th-best adjusted defensive efficiency rating in the country as they have prided themselves on that end of the floor since the opening tip of the campaign. They force a ton of turnovers by opportunistically playing passing lanes and gambling on ball-handlers. Additionally, they rank fifth nationally in block-rate as they protect the rim quite well. DePaul’s biggest weaknesses stem from its aggression as opponents offensively rebound well and get to the free-throw line with regularity.
On the offensive end of the floor, DePaul looks to attack the basket consistently. They rank in the Bottom 60 nationally in 3PAr as the Blue Demons look to either feed the post or drive to the rack on most possessions. They offensively rebound well, finish at the rim at a relatively high rate, and utilize the turnovers they create for quick buckets early in the shot-clock. DePaul ranks outside of the Top 100 in adjusted offensive efficiency, though, as its shot selection is not always the best.
With regard to individual leaders, let’s start in the backcourt with top scorer Charlie Moore. A 5-foot-11 point guard that has previously played at Cal and Kansas, Moore is a dangerous floor general that seems to have found his collegiate home. He is leading the Blue Demons both in scoring (16.5 ppg) and passing (6.7 apg) so far this season. He is a legitimate scoring threat at all three levels and strong passer.
Alongside him, Jalen Coleman-Lands and Devin Gage usually round out the backcourt. Coleman-Lands is the only other consistent perimeter shooting threat on the roster outside of Moore. He is shooting 33.0% from distance on 6.6 3PA per game so far this season. Gage, on the other hand, comes off the bench and can contribute as either a scorer or playmaker.
In the frontcourt, star player Paul Reed is the one to know. A dominant double-double threat in every single game, Reed broke out last season and just continues to improve. He is averaging 15.5 points, 11.4 rebounds (3.2 offensive), and 3.1 blocks per game so far this season to lead the Blue Demons.
Additionally, Romeo Weems is an NBA prospect oozing versatility (particularly defensively) while Jaylen Butz is a scoring and rebounding threat inside at the “4” spot next to Reed. Butz and Reed are usually confined to playing inside the arc while Weems can step out and hit the three with some regularity (not on high volume). Darious Hall will come off the bench for ~20 minutes as a 6-foot-7 sophomore that rebounds well.
DePaul does not utilize its bench much and therefore those are the main names to know for this matchup. Now, let’s dive into three potential keys to success for Butler against this squad.