Busting Brackets
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Butler Basketball: Takeaways from home win over St. John’s

By Lukas Harkins

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 05: Sean McDermott #22 of the Butler Bulldogs in action in the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Hinkle Fieldhouse on February 05, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 05: Sean McDermott #22 of the Butler Bulldogs in action in the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Hinkle Fieldhouse on February 05, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 04: Baddley and Smits of the Bulldogs celebrate. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 04: Baddley and Smits of the Bulldogs celebrate. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

1. Let’s talk about this senior class.

Kamar Baldwin. Sean McDermott. Henry Baddley. Derrik Smits.

Each of these players just played their final home game as a member of the Butler basketball program. While they all might have thanked the fanbase during their postgame speeches after the win over St. John’s, they too deserve to be thanked by the fans. All four players, whether for one season or five, represented the program remarkably well and were tremendous ambassadors for the university. There should be no doubt about that and Coach Jordan really said it best:

Considering this is a takeaways piece from their Senior Night, though, I should also discuss how each of them stepped up during an emotional game.

Kamar Baldwin might not have put forth his best overall scoring performance in the victory but buried three huge mid-range jumpers in the first half to keep the Dawgs within striking range. He finished the game with 12 points and five rebounds while piecing together a strong defensive performance as well. There is no doubt in my mind that KB3 has been one of the best players to ever don a Butler uniform and that there are still a few pages left to write for his legacy.

Alongside him, Sean McDermott and Henry Baddley have been steady pieces for the last few seasons. McDermott was the star of the game against the Red Storm in this one, though, as he led the team in both scoring (16 points) and rebounding (14 boards). This game was truly indicative of how much his all-around game has grown while with the program.

Baddley once again came in and simply made a vital impact that could not show up in the stat sheet, just like he has in each of the past three seasons. His steal leading to an and-one to put Butler up by 18 in the second half was perhaps the biggest roof-raiser of the night. Smits then rounded out the evening with a post finish with 3:44 left to play to ensure that all four seniors scored on their special night.

When it comes to March, Butler has four experienced seniors ready to lead the team into battle.