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

By Lukas Harkins

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 28: Kamar Baldwin #3 of the Butler Bulldogs dribbles by Jagan Mosely #4 of the Georgetown Hoyas in the second half during a college basketball game at the Capital One Arena on January 28, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 28: Kamar Baldwin #3 of the Butler Bulldogs dribbles by Jagan Mosely #4 of the Georgetown Hoyas in the second half during a college basketball game at the Capital One Arena on January 28, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 28: McDermott of the Bulldogs is introduced. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 28: McDermott of the Bulldogs is introduced. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

1. Keep finding McDermott.

I’ve mentioned this on several occasions already but Sean McDermott is just as important to Butler’s offense as anyone on the roster. The elite senior sharpshooter spaces the floor for everyone around him and the team simply performs at a higher level when he is aggressive and seeking out shots. McDermott is widely regarded as one of the most efficient scorers in the entire country and the Dawgs need to consistently find ways to get him the ball in scoring situations.

Junior point guard Aaron Thompson is the best at creating looks for McDermott as he spots potential holes in defenses incredibly quickly. If he is unable to take the court in this game, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Butler heavily emphasize using McDermott as the screener for Kamar Baldwin in PnR situations offensively. This worked beautifully against Georgetown in D.C. a couple of weeks ago as the Hoyas tried to double Baldwin on ball screens, leaving McDermott open.

McDermott poured in 25 points on seven 3-pointers in that earlier matchup between these two teams. It is likely that Georgetown comes out with a different defensive gameplan for this contest but the story remains the same: McDermott needs to stay involved for Butler.

Regardless of who the opponent is or who is running the offense, McDermott needs to stay a focal point. McDermott should not only look for the open shots beyond the arc but also maintain aggressiveness in attacking holes off the bounce. He might not flash it very often, but he can get to the basket and either finish or draw contact. Once at the free-throw line, there are very few better.