Games at Butler A Homecoming for Depaul’s Holtmann, Jordan, Gunn

On January 26, 2025By Littum

The office of Depaul coach Chris Holtmann’s Chicago home is filled with memories that will always be near and dear to his heart.

There is a picture of him that hugs Butler Basketball Forward Roosevelt Jones on Senior Day. Then there’s the picture of him dressed in a suit – at a time when several coaches coached in suits – sitting in front of the scores table and taking the senior day festivities in another of his three seasons as Butler’s coach.

Holtmann’s time at Butler was short, but it represented the top of the post-Brad Stevens era, a time, both Holtmann and fans of the Butler Basketball program look back on with pleasure.

“Everything changed for me in my career in my butler years,” Holtmann said. “It had an in -depth influence on our family’s life, my life”

Holtmann successfully navigated a difficult transitional period for the Butler program. He joined the former Butler coach Brandon Miller’s staff as an assistant and took over as a temporary coach in October 2014 after Miller took a medical leave. In January, the temporary roof was removed by former athletic director Barry Collier.

Holtmann led Butler to 20-Plus victory seasons and NCAA tournament in his three seasons. In 2017, Butler won a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament and reached Sweet 16 before falling to No. 1-seeded North Carolina. After the season, Holtmann left Butler to become the next coach of Ohio State and replaced Thad Matta, who stepped down after 13 seasons of Buckeyes due to health problems.

On Saturday, the two former Ohio State trainers will be at 1 p.m. 16.00 Saturday at Hinkle Fieldhouse; Matta, back at Butler for the second time, and Holtmann in his first season as Depaul’s coach.

“Obviously, our paths are crossed and I have a really good relationship with Thad and (his wife) Barb. We know their daughters, they are a huge family,” Holtmann said. “I said when I was in Ohio State he was probably the best to do it in Ohio State. He had such an incredible race. So after that wasn’t always the easiest thing but we had some good years ourselves, but Even he performed such a phenomenal job there in Ohio State.

“He was always a great resource. Always someone that I could pick up the phone and talk to.”

Both coaches are at the bottom of the Big East position. Depaul is 10-10 with a Big East victory. Butler is 8-11, also with a Big East victory. Holtmann had to rebuild Blue Demons’ list of beginner and transfers without a single recurring player from the previous year. The task of helping Holtmann to rebuild the program is the former butler coach Lavall Jordan. Jordan is in his first year as assistant coach/general manager at Blue Demons.

“General manager -role is really important,” Holtmann said. “Having someone who has a grip on today’s climate of zero and what is the real market for players and control of all that comes with is a really important role. It gave him an opportunity to go back into it and decide which direction he would eventually you want to do or want to go with, be more along the General Manager role or lean more for coaching.

“I think I’ve got the staff here that have been really good to work with this year.”

Homecomings do not stop with Holtmann and Jordan, Depaul’s next -leading goal scorer is Indianapoli’s native and former Lawrence North Star CJ Gunn. Gunn transferred to Depaul after two quiet seasons at IU. With the blue demons, Gunn welcomes his role as a leader and go-to player. In 18 games, the 6-foot-7-guard is an average of 11.5 points per year. Match. He shoots 33.3% from 3 and 71.4% from the free throwing line. Gunn scored in double in five straight matches, including 21-point performances in overtime losses for Seton Hall and Marquette.

“CJ, he’s really grown as a player. I think that’s the biggest thing I can say about him,” Holtmann said. “He’s extremely coachbar. He wants to get better. He took ownership of maybe not having the start of his college career as he wanted, and he has really embraced learning and getting better and playing stylistically, maybe a little different from what he Had the game there.

“He’s gotten better, but I think he’s got a lot of improvements ahead of him and he has to continue to grow in many different areas. But he has a great mindset and I think you can attribute it to him and his family. ”