Butler keeps getting better as Dawgs feast on Saint Louis

David Woods
IndyStar
Butler Bulldogs guard Aaron Thompson (2) and Butler Bulldogs guard Jerald Gillens-Butler (21) celebrate their lead during first half action between the Butler Bulldogs and the Saint Louis Billikens at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. Butler lead at the half, 42-13.

INDIANAPOLIS – It’s college basketball. There are outliers.

LaVall Jordan had perhaps seen nothing like it since his last victory as a Butler player. In the 2001 first round, the Bulldogs led Wake Forest 43-10 at halftime en route to their first NCAA tournament victory in 39 years.

Four minutes into the second half Saturday, Butler led Saint Louis 52-13 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs won 75-45, and it was not that close.

The Bulldogs, 12-point favorites, led by 29 at halftime and by 40 in the second half.

Kelan Martin led Butler (6-2) with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Kamar Baldwin added 14 points and Paul Jorgensen 11.

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Jordan, the Bulldogs’ first-year coach, said he warned them about how much energy Saint Louis would exert early.

“I think our guys were ready for that,” he said.

That is accurate. The Billikens’ shooting was not.

They managed one field goal in the opening 12 ½ minutes, starting 1-of-12. In its previous game, Butler allowed Ohio State one field goal over the closing 10 ½ minutes. So that’s two field goals allowed over 23 minutes.

That’s not elite defense. That’s ridiculous.

The Billikens’ 45 points were the fewest by a Butler opponent in 131 games, and that’s only because they scored 14 in the final 4-plus minutes. (Butler beat Manchester 100-41 on Dec. 9, 2013.)

Saint Louis coach Travis Ford insisted his team was getting good shots and simply missing them. By early in the second half, the Billikens were 4-of-24 (17 percent).

“It kind of snowballed early,” Ford said.

Granted, the Billikens are not what they were when beating Butler three times in Atlantic 10 play in 2013. Coach Jim Crews was fired three years later and succeeded by Ford.

Butler Bulldogs guard Kamar Baldwin (3) celebrates after scoring a three-point shot during second half action between the Butler Bulldogs and the Saint Louis Billikens at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. Butler crushed Saint Louis, 75-45.

Saint Louis was missing three players who are involved in a Title IX investigation into sexual assault allegations. The team played without its top rebounder, Hasahn French, sidelined by an injured ankle.

Even with all that, the Billikens (3-4) own a 77-71 victory over Virginia Tech, a 7-1 team on the edge of the Top 25.

Butler opened the season with seven games in 17 days, so practices were limited. The Bulldogs made the most of the week they had since leaving Portland, Ore., with two wins by a total of three points.

Baldwin said they concentrated on moving the ball more, dribbling less and setting up cuts. The Bulldogs “played with good pace,” as Martin put it.

That was especially true of Jorgensen, who sank two 3-pointers in the first five minutes and had four assists and three steals in the first half.

“Paul brings a lot of good energy, a lot of good juice to practice,” Martin said.

Butler needed Jorgensen’s 3s in the absence of the injured Sean McDermott. Jordan said Henry Baddley had an especially good practice Friday, and the sophomore followed up with career highs in points (nine) and rebounds (seven).

Evidence of improved ball movement was 11 assists on 15 first-half field goals. Evidence of freshmen developing were Aaron Thompson’s six points and five assists, plus the first college field goals by Christian David and Jerald Gillens-Butler. Evidence of Martin’s growing leadership was his continued chatter in huddles, according to Jordan.

Ford said Butler was an NCAA tournament team. The get-better-every-day mantra Butler coaches and players have repeated for years might be boring.

 It has worked.

“If they keep that mind-set, we’ll continue to grow and improve,” Jordan said. “What that results in, we’ll see.”

It has already resulted in extension of a nonleague home winning streak to 39. Because of Baylor’s 69-62 home loss to No. 8 Wichita State, the Bulldogs own the third-longest such active streak in the nation.

Call IndyStar reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195 or email david.woods@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.