By Matt Vachlon
Before I’m accused of being arrogant, let me first admit that Saturday will go down as one of the greatest days of my life as a sports fan. I’ve never been so nervous about a game, and that includes watching the White Sox go all the way in 2005. But after the Butler defense locked down the Kansas State scoring duo of Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente, the Butler Bulldogs will be playing in the Final Four, in Indianapolis.
Let me repeat, Butler is in the Final Four. Saying those words continues to blow my mind.
With that said, over the next week you’re going to hear a lot of "Hoosiers" references and there’s also the storyline of Butler being the first amongst its peers, Xavier and Gonzaga, to reach the Final Four. Those stories are nice and they each have their fair share of validity, but they each miss the major storyline behind Butler’s Final Four run.
These Bulldogs have a legitimate chance to win the national championship.
I know I’m getting ahead of myself and no one dislikes looking ahead more than head coach Brad Stevens. But it’s not like the team hasn’t already acknowledged this as its goal.
And they have legitimate reasons to be confident.
For starters, while every Butler fan knows the team has had its fair share of doubters throughout each round, each ensuing victory has more and more given the team the look of a champion. Against UTEP the Bulldogs made outstanding halftime adjustments, they gutted out a victory against Murray State when they weren’t at their best and they withstood late charges by both Syracuse and Kansas State, the top two seeds in their region.
Instead of wilting under the pressure this team has risen to the occasion. The nation’s sixth best defense in the country, according to Pomeroy, has held all four of its NCAA Tournament opponents below 60 points, including holding Syracuse and Kansas State to their lowest totals of the season. And the Bulldogs bona fide stars have shown up as Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack have scored in double figures in each game and Matt Howard has been solid when he hasn’t been plagued by foul trouble.
Still, it’s always acknowledged that things need to fall into place for a champion and Butler has seemingly had those intangibles as well.
The Bulldogs have had players step up as Ron Nored made clutch shots in both the Murray State and Syracuse games and seldom-used backup center Andrew Smith logged 12 key minutes for the foul-plagued Howard in the victory against Kansas State. They’ve made the hustle plays as epitomized by Hayward and Howard each laying out to knock balls into the backcourt on key defensive possessions against Murray State and Kansas State respectively. And finally, they’ve made the lucky plays like this shot (about 1:35 into the clip) by Willie Veasley against Syracuse.
Butler will no doubt have its hands full with Michigan State next weekend as every team that gets this far is obviously very good. And only one team can cut down the nets. Just don’t be totally surprised if the Bulldogs are that team.
Showing posts with label Butler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Butler. Show all posts
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Mid-major Final Four would be a dream come true
By Bob Herman
Matt and I have been highlighting mid-majors and underdogs throughout this entire men's NCAA tournament, and deservedly so. Butler, Northern Iowa, Saint Mary's, Cornell, Murray State, Old Dominion, and Ohio have made their marks with huge victories against good competition.
Naturally, the mainsteam media doesn't pay attention until they have to, but that's the whole appeal of the mid-majors that play the role of spoiler: They're the little guys, the non-flashy, down-to-earth, right-to-basics teams that everyone can relate to, be it as an alumnus/alumna who has lived off that basketball for ages or as a regular basketball fan who appreciates the game outside of the self-promoting dunks and large, big-program egomaniacs.
That's why I was appalled upon reading this article today by Gary Parrish, who normally defends the mid-majors. Gary, are the Big 6 conferences paying you off to say a "BracketBuster Final Four" would be a bore? Because that's complete rubbish.
Not only would a Final Four of Butler, Northern Iowa, Cornell, and Saint Mary's be incredibly entertaining, it's what I'm hoping will happen. Clearly, the odds are stacked against it, as Butler and Cornell both play No. 1 seeds this week, but if it were to happen, this would be the greatest string of upsets in the history of sport. Period. Nothing would really compare because it would hypothetically involve four small schools playing the best basketball of their lives--and beating the "best" competition in the country. It is the ultimate David vs. Goliath scenario.
Yet Gary Parrish is telling us that the greatest string of upsets in the history of sports won't be entertaining because the Cinderella storylines don't match up well against...other Cinderellas. Seriously? The more I think about it, the more idiotic that sounds.
Think about it. There hasn't been an upset winner of the men's tournament since 1985 when Villanova won as an 8-seed. Whenever a smaller team makes a run at the big boys (most recently, George Mason in 2006), it most definitely makes things interesting because no one sees it coming.
I, apparently unlike Gary Parrish, do not need a high-tempo game with 42 turnovers and a couple of "thunder" dunks. Yes, it depends a little on the a person's proximity to a given program, and I'll admit I'm a sucker for a good dunk. But that's one moment. It's fleeting. And I'm a fan of my team and the sport. They aren't mutually exclusive. I'd rather see a well-played basketball game end in a 54-52 nail biter than a sloppy yet TV-friendly display of "athleticism."
I can only hope that by the end of this week, I will see Northern Iowa, Butler, Cornell, and Saint Mary's in the Final Four. It probably won't happen (then again, 98 percent of the 4.8 million people in the ESPN.com bracket had Kansas in the Sweet 16...), but it would be a spectacle to see. To those who are anti-mid-major and are more concerned with your bracket, get a grip and realize how great the sport is right now. It's not every year that this many Cinderellas have such a good chance at taking the prize.
(A semi-unrelated and very homerish closing thought and link: How's this for athleticism?)
Matt and I have been highlighting mid-majors and underdogs throughout this entire men's NCAA tournament, and deservedly so. Butler, Northern Iowa, Saint Mary's, Cornell, Murray State, Old Dominion, and Ohio have made their marks with huge victories against good competition.
Naturally, the mainsteam media doesn't pay attention until they have to, but that's the whole appeal of the mid-majors that play the role of spoiler: They're the little guys, the non-flashy, down-to-earth, right-to-basics teams that everyone can relate to, be it as an alumnus/alumna who has lived off that basketball for ages or as a regular basketball fan who appreciates the game outside of the self-promoting dunks and large, big-program egomaniacs.
That's why I was appalled upon reading this article today by Gary Parrish, who normally defends the mid-majors. Gary, are the Big 6 conferences paying you off to say a "BracketBuster Final Four" would be a bore? Because that's complete rubbish.
Not only would a Final Four of Butler, Northern Iowa, Cornell, and Saint Mary's be incredibly entertaining, it's what I'm hoping will happen. Clearly, the odds are stacked against it, as Butler and Cornell both play No. 1 seeds this week, but if it were to happen, this would be the greatest string of upsets in the history of sport. Period. Nothing would really compare because it would hypothetically involve four small schools playing the best basketball of their lives--and beating the "best" competition in the country. It is the ultimate David vs. Goliath scenario.
Yet Gary Parrish is telling us that the greatest string of upsets in the history of sports won't be entertaining because the Cinderella storylines don't match up well against...other Cinderellas. Seriously? The more I think about it, the more idiotic that sounds.
Think about it. There hasn't been an upset winner of the men's tournament since 1985 when Villanova won as an 8-seed. Whenever a smaller team makes a run at the big boys (most recently, George Mason in 2006), it most definitely makes things interesting because no one sees it coming.
I, apparently unlike Gary Parrish, do not need a high-tempo game with 42 turnovers and a couple of "thunder" dunks. Yes, it depends a little on the a person's proximity to a given program, and I'll admit I'm a sucker for a good dunk. But that's one moment. It's fleeting. And I'm a fan of my team and the sport. They aren't mutually exclusive. I'd rather see a well-played basketball game end in a 54-52 nail biter than a sloppy yet TV-friendly display of "athleticism."
I can only hope that by the end of this week, I will see Northern Iowa, Butler, Cornell, and Saint Mary's in the Final Four. It probably won't happen (then again, 98 percent of the 4.8 million people in the ESPN.com bracket had Kansas in the Sweet 16...), but it would be a spectacle to see. To those who are anti-mid-major and are more concerned with your bracket, get a grip and realize how great the sport is right now. It's not every year that this many Cinderellas have such a good chance at taking the prize.
(A semi-unrelated and very homerish closing thought and link: How's this for athleticism?)
Saturday, March 13, 2010
You've been forewarned: A mid-major perfect storm looms on the horizon
By Matt Vachlon
Granted the brackets aren't out yet and obviously we won't know specific matchups until later this evening. But like Bob, I just couldn't help myself anymore. After watching the carnage that has occurred in the Big Six conferences during "Championship Week," one thing has become abundantly clear:
If you're a fan of Butler, or any other mid-major, you should be licking your chops at the prospect of who you might face in this year's NCAA tournament.
For starters, there has been a baffling amount of mediocrity with regard to the pool of at-large candidates. But the major networks have already given too much attention to this ineptness. The fact of the matter is a lot of winning has been going on around the country and the media hasn't taken notice yet.
As of today, 14 regular season champions or co-champions from one-bid leagues have won their their league's automatic bid. And three more from possible two-bid leagues are in a position to earn at-large births.
So why does this matter?
For starters, regular season champions qualifying mean better overall teams making the tournament. These teams have been solid over the long haul, as opposed to simply getting hot over a four-day stretch. Thus, it's reasonable to believe they can put up a better fight against the big boys. But there's also historical precedent to suggest their success as well.
I looked back at the five Cinderella stories that stood out in my mind the most since I began following college basketball. Each was at least a double-digit seed and each went at least as far as the Sweet 16. The candidates were 1998-1999 Gonzaga (10 seed), 2001-2002 Kent State (10), 2002-2003 Butler (12), 2005-2006 George Mason (11) and 2007-2008 Davidson (10).
The results were that all five were either the outright or co-champions of their league in the regular season. All except Butler made it at least as far as the Elite Eight. While three of those five did win their conference tournaments, George Mason did not, but, the Patriots are the only one of the bunch to make the Final Four.
The correlation to this year is that Butler (5 seed) and Northern Iowa (7) are projected to be much higher than those "Cinderella" teams of years past. Old Dominion (10), Cornell (11) and Siena (12) are also in the mix, along with at-large candidates Gonzaga (7), UTEP (9) and Utah State (11).
Adding to this advantage is the fact that the teams at the top of the major conferences have shown chinks in their armor this week as well. We've already seen two conference co-champs, Michigan State and Maryland, lose in conference quarterfinals and even Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Ohio St. have let inferior of opponents hang around. And don't forget the chaos that occurred in the Big East.
If there's one thing March Madness proves to us each year is that it's far from predictable. But if next weekend you find yourself wanting to tear up your bracket because of all the Cinderellas, well, don't say I didn't warn you.
Granted the brackets aren't out yet and obviously we won't know specific matchups until later this evening. But like Bob, I just couldn't help myself anymore. After watching the carnage that has occurred in the Big Six conferences during "Championship Week," one thing has become abundantly clear:
If you're a fan of Butler, or any other mid-major, you should be licking your chops at the prospect of who you might face in this year's NCAA tournament.
For starters, there has been a baffling amount of mediocrity with regard to the pool of at-large candidates. But the major networks have already given too much attention to this ineptness. The fact of the matter is a lot of winning has been going on around the country and the media hasn't taken notice yet.
As of today, 14 regular season champions or co-champions from one-bid leagues have won their their league's automatic bid. And three more from possible two-bid leagues are in a position to earn at-large births.
So why does this matter?
For starters, regular season champions qualifying mean better overall teams making the tournament. These teams have been solid over the long haul, as opposed to simply getting hot over a four-day stretch. Thus, it's reasonable to believe they can put up a better fight against the big boys. But there's also historical precedent to suggest their success as well.
I looked back at the five Cinderella stories that stood out in my mind the most since I began following college basketball. Each was at least a double-digit seed and each went at least as far as the Sweet 16. The candidates were 1998-1999 Gonzaga (10 seed), 2001-2002 Kent State (10), 2002-2003 Butler (12), 2005-2006 George Mason (11) and 2007-2008 Davidson (10).
The results were that all five were either the outright or co-champions of their league in the regular season. All except Butler made it at least as far as the Elite Eight. While three of those five did win their conference tournaments, George Mason did not, but, the Patriots are the only one of the bunch to make the Final Four.
The correlation to this year is that Butler (5 seed) and Northern Iowa (7) are projected to be much higher than those "Cinderella" teams of years past. Old Dominion (10), Cornell (11) and Siena (12) are also in the mix, along with at-large candidates Gonzaga (7), UTEP (9) and Utah State (11).
Adding to this advantage is the fact that the teams at the top of the major conferences have shown chinks in their armor this week as well. We've already seen two conference co-champs, Michigan State and Maryland, lose in conference quarterfinals and even Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Ohio St. have let inferior of opponents hang around. And don't forget the chaos that occurred in the Big East.
If there's one thing March Madness proves to us each year is that it's far from predictable. But if next weekend you find yourself wanting to tear up your bracket because of all the Cinderellas, well, don't say I didn't warn you.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Butler primed for '07 repeat
By Bob Herman
OK, let me clarify. I didn't think Matt or I would be writing about Butler's basketball team so early, considering we're both fresh graduates and avid fans from there. But the Bulldogs' win versus Youngstown State tonight is worth mentioning (homerism aside) for all too many reasons.
For starters, tonight's thrashing was Butler's 14th straight win, and the team is now 15-0 in conference. No Butler team has jetted out to this kind of Horizon League play, and it's been roughly 15 years since a Horizon League schmoe has had this kind of dominance (UW-Green Bay went 16-0 in 1996).
Oh, right. They also clinched a tie for the regular season title. Already.
This is so significant because within the Butler fandom, hundreds upon thousands of Chicken Littles were overreacting when Butler hit one of its hardest out-of-conference schedules in school history back in late November and parts of December. That rough stretch, in which the team was still a respectable 8-4 overall after the team's loss to UAB, also gave enough reason for the camera-happy media schmucks at ESPN and other large outlets to turn their nose to their trendy preseason pick.
Oh how time heals wounds. The loss at UAB seems like a distant memory now. And the weird thing is, this team still isn't playing to its potential.
Gordon Hayward has been living up to his hype. He is one of the most efficient offensive players in the country (tonight, he had 22 points, 17 rebounds, 2 blocks, 6-10 FGs, 8-9 FTs...hot damn). Shelvin Mack has had a terrific sophomore season, too, averaging more than 14 points, three rebounds, and three assists per game.
But Matt Howard, last year's Horizon League Player of the Year, has hardly played up to that title this year as he has been riddled in foul trouble (3.6 fouls per game) and consistently overextending on defense. The bench play has been average at best, and the usually solid 3-point shooting has been surprisingly lackluster (33.7 percent as a team on the year).
Who would've thought that Butler would potentially run the table in the Horizon league after such a nightmarish tournament in Anaheim? I certainly didn't, mainly because no other Butler team before had accomplished that harder-than-it-seems feat and also because it feels like this team can play so much better.
But this team is certainly as good as the preseason rankings indicated. Sure, Butler plays better when no one notices, but that simply won't happen anymore. A Sweet Sixteen run in 2007 and two solid tourney showings in 2008 and 2009 have finally caught everyone's attention. This team is a Midwestern Gonzaga, and it has been for a while now.
If Butler beats Siena in the BracketBuster Feb. 20 and also takes down the Horizon League tourney crown, there's no question that this team can breeze to the Sweet Sixteen again. Albeit, Butler has been tossing around ragtag Horizon League teams, but there's a lot to be said about dominating a conference. The early (and tough) out-of-conference schedule has appeared to pay dividends, and may I place my shoe in my mouth if this team's March run falls anything short of the Sweet Sixteen.
OK, let me clarify. I didn't think Matt or I would be writing about Butler's basketball team so early, considering we're both fresh graduates and avid fans from there. But the Bulldogs' win versus Youngstown State tonight is worth mentioning (homerism aside) for all too many reasons.
For starters, tonight's thrashing was Butler's 14th straight win, and the team is now 15-0 in conference. No Butler team has jetted out to this kind of Horizon League play, and it's been roughly 15 years since a Horizon League schmoe has had this kind of dominance (UW-Green Bay went 16-0 in 1996).
Oh, right. They also clinched a tie for the regular season title. Already.
This is so significant because within the Butler fandom, hundreds upon thousands of Chicken Littles were overreacting when Butler hit one of its hardest out-of-conference schedules in school history back in late November and parts of December. That rough stretch, in which the team was still a respectable 8-4 overall after the team's loss to UAB, also gave enough reason for the camera-happy media schmucks at ESPN and other large outlets to turn their nose to their trendy preseason pick.
Oh how time heals wounds. The loss at UAB seems like a distant memory now. And the weird thing is, this team still isn't playing to its potential.Gordon Hayward has been living up to his hype. He is one of the most efficient offensive players in the country (tonight, he had 22 points, 17 rebounds, 2 blocks, 6-10 FGs, 8-9 FTs...hot damn). Shelvin Mack has had a terrific sophomore season, too, averaging more than 14 points, three rebounds, and three assists per game.
But Matt Howard, last year's Horizon League Player of the Year, has hardly played up to that title this year as he has been riddled in foul trouble (3.6 fouls per game) and consistently overextending on defense. The bench play has been average at best, and the usually solid 3-point shooting has been surprisingly lackluster (33.7 percent as a team on the year).
Who would've thought that Butler would potentially run the table in the Horizon league after such a nightmarish tournament in Anaheim? I certainly didn't, mainly because no other Butler team before had accomplished that harder-than-it-seems feat and also because it feels like this team can play so much better.
But this team is certainly as good as the preseason rankings indicated. Sure, Butler plays better when no one notices, but that simply won't happen anymore. A Sweet Sixteen run in 2007 and two solid tourney showings in 2008 and 2009 have finally caught everyone's attention. This team is a Midwestern Gonzaga, and it has been for a while now.
If Butler beats Siena in the BracketBuster Feb. 20 and also takes down the Horizon League tourney crown, there's no question that this team can breeze to the Sweet Sixteen again. Albeit, Butler has been tossing around ragtag Horizon League teams, but there's a lot to be said about dominating a conference. The early (and tough) out-of-conference schedule has appeared to pay dividends, and may I place my shoe in my mouth if this team's March run falls anything short of the Sweet Sixteen.
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