Butler Basketball: Keys to success vs. Marquette in 2019-20

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 20: Kamar Baldwin #3 of the Butler Bulldogs dribbles the ball while being guarded by Brendan Bailey #1 of the Marquette Golden Eagles in the first half at the Fiserv Forum on February 20, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

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VILLANOVA, PA – JANUARY 21: Baldwin of the Bulldogs shoots. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Butler basketball is currently in the midst of a three-game skid. What will the Dawgs need to do to secure a home victory over Marquette?

Butler basketball once climbed as high as No. 5 in the AP Poll but has since dropped three consecutive games. While none of the defeats were resume-killers by any stretch, the team did not perform at an exceptionally high level in any of the games. Most notably, the Dawgs’ performance at DePaul was their worst of the season. This three-game losing streak has definitely been disappointing but it also came during the toughest stretch of the schedule for the entire season (including the future).

With that in the past, the Dawgs will look to regain their prior form while playing five of their next seven games in Hinkle Fieldhouse. The first of these contests will come against Marquette, who is currently on a three-game winning streak with victories over Xavier (home), Georgetown (away), and St. John’s (home). The Golden Eagles currently sit at 14-5 (4-3 BE) on the season and should pose a major challenge to Butler with their high-powered offense and star power.

Here is a quick overview of how these two squads match up:

Marquette Golden Eagles (14-5, 4-3 BE) at Butler Bulldogs (15-4, 3-3 BE)

NET Ranking: Marquette – 27th | Butler – 9th

KenPom Ranking: Marquette – 32nd | Butler – 15th

Adjusted Tempo: Marquette – 40th | Butler – 325th

Adj. Off. Efficiency: Marquette – 26th | Butler – 34th

Adj. Def. Efficiency: Marquette – 61st | Butler – 19th

It is relatively clear that these are fairly evenly matched teams. Butler is higher-rated pretty much across the board and has a better resume to this point in the year. Marquette, though, is carrying far more positive momentum into the matchup with its current winning streak.

There are definitely some fun individual matchups in this game and both teams will be seeking a big-time victory. With tip-off approaching relatively soon, let’s dive into a Butler-centric preview for the contest.