#18 Butler has big second half, dominates Vanderbilt

The #18 Butler Bulldogs had their offense on a hot streak in the second half and ran away from the host Vanderbilt Commodores, leaving Nashville, Tennessee with a 68-49 victory.

Leave it up to a guard like Rotnei Clarke and he'll put the game on his shoulders and without a doubt come through, smoking the nets from three-point range, leaving the opponent beside themselves.

Clarke got quite comfortable the last time he set foot in Memorial Gym. Before transferring to Butler, he played at Arkansas. Two years ago, Rotnei racked up 36 points for the Razorbacks in an upset of Vanderbilt.

The first half became a chess match that left the Bulldogs and Commodores wondering which would make the best moves toward running away. Three ties and three times the lead changed in the first half before Butler found a way to run away from Vanderbilt.

Andrew Smith and Rotnei Clarke each scored six and Khyle Marshall added five to pace the Bulldog scoring in the opening half. Neither team could get more than a three point lead in the first half and that's exactly what Butler's lead was at 25-22.

Head Coach Brad Stevens made some adjustments offensively and defensively, they clamped down in the second half. Butler came out of the gates in the first 4:33 of the second half shooting lights out and found themselves on a 14-3 run in that time. That turned into a 19-10 start in the first seven minutes of half number two to go up 44-32. With consecutive three-pointers by Clarke and Kellen Dunham, respectively, Butler jumped out to its biggest lead of the game thus far, 52-34.

The second half pretty much became the Clarke and Dunham show. Those two alone combined to almost outscore Vanderbilt as a duo. Clarke had 16 and Dunham 10 in the second 20 minutes to the Commodores' 27.

Butler scorched the nets in the second half from outside-the-arc, going 6-for-8 and 13-of-20 for the game, for an astounding 65% from three.

It was a night of domination across the board for the Bulldogs. They outrebounded Vanderbilt 42-27. Their defense stepped up to the challenge of playing a road game at an SEC school and succeeded better than expected.

A balanced effort by all, to say the least. Clarke and Dunham led the way with 22 and 12 respectively, but had others join them the other stats that made a difference in getting their seventh straight win. Khyle Marshall had nine points and 11 boards, while Kameron Woods grabbed 9. Andrew Smith chipped in 8 points, while Alex Barlow had a career-high six points while grabbing four rebounds and three assists.

Vanderbilt (5-6) was only able to get one player into double-figure scoring. Kyle Fuller led the Commodores with 10 points, while Kedren Johnson added nine and Shelby Moats 8.

Butler (10-2) comes home to Hinkle Fieldhouse to host two games before starting Atlantic 10 conference play next week. Wednesday night, January 2nd, they'll welcome the Pennsylvania Quakers (2-9) of the Ivy League for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The second of this short two-game home stand will bring the New Orleans Privateers (3-8) to Indianapolis for a 2 p.m. start on Saturday, January 5.

Week 17 NFL playoff scenario breakdown...

The AFC playoff teams have been determined before the games even kickoff today for Week 17. It'll just be a matter of where the six teams are seeded after today's action. It's just crazy that heading into today's games, there are 10 games of 16 that have some sort of playoff implications involved.

Houston (12-3) visits Indianapolis (10-5) in hopes of ending their 0-10 record playing as the Texans on the Colts' home turf. The Colts will welcome back head coach Chuck Pagano from his battle with leukemia that has inspired his team in his first season. They've completely turned things around from 2011's 2-14 record and have secured the 5-seed in the AFC playoffs with offensive coordinator Bruce Arians leading the troops in Pagano's absense. Welcome back, Coach Pagano!

It's simple, folks. Indianapolis wins today vs. Houston and they'll drop the Texans out of the #1 seed. The Denver Broncos (12-3) are in the two-spot currently and if the Colts are to beat Houston, Denver could slide up into the one-seed. But, the only way that Denver would move up to the #1 slot is if New England (11-4) were to lose at home to Miami (7-8), which is highly unlikely with Tom Brady playing in "playoff mode" at this point.

Baltimore (10-5) is set in the four-seed, so it doesn't matter if the Ravens lose at Cincinnati today. Yes, it would give both 10-6 records, but Baltimore holds the tiebreaker with a 4-1 AFC North record, while the Bengals have gone just 2-3.

There are some intersting scenarios when it comes to breaking down the NFC playoff picture. Five teams have clinched playoff spots, but seeds aren't yet solidified until after tonight's key matchup when Dallas (8-7) visits Washington (9-6). If the Redskins beat Dallas, it obviously eliminates the Cowboys and Washington will solidly be the 4-seed and more than likely would host fifth-seeded Seattle next weekend in the Wild Card round.

Atlanta (13-2) is in the driver's seat as the one-seed as the NFC South champions and a lot is on Falcons' QB Matt Ryan's shoulders, as he's out to prove his critics wrong and start winning playoff games. Tampa Bay (6-9) comes to the Georgia Dome today just trying to give Atlanta one more headache before the playoffs.

Green Bay (11-4) is the #2 seed and has clinched the NFC North title with a solid two game edge over Chicago (9-6) and Minnesota (9-6). The Packers and Falcons have both clinched first-round byes. The Bears and Vikings are both fighting for the final playoff spot in the NFC. Chicago is in with a win at Detroit (4-11) and a Minnesota loss at home to Green Bay. If the Vikings win and the Bears win, Minnesota would get the nod because they have the best win percentage in divisional games in the NFC North.

Despite having a tie to their "half credit," San Francisco (10-4-1) has clinched a playoff spot, at the very least. All the 49ers have to do is beat the Arizona Cardinals (5-10) and they'll be the NFC West champs. If Seattle (10-5) beats St. Louis (7-7) at home today, the Seahawks will still have the five-seed for a Wild Card berth.

The New York Giants (8-7) have the toughest challenge to get in the playoffs. Tom Coughlin is usually up to a task like his Giants have today as they host the Philadelphia Eagles (4-11). A win by the Giants doesn't necessarily mean they'll slip into the Wild Card spot like last year, when they ultimately won the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. They'll have to rely on Washington knocking Dallas out of playoff contention in tonight's regular season ending Sunday night football game in Washington.

A lot of great NFL games today! I love football! Growing up a Bears fan, I want them to get a win today and sneak into the playoffs. Time to Beardown, Chicago!

I also am I Colts fan. Yes, some think that's weird, but whatever! Lucas Oil Stadium will be an amazing atmosphere today with head coach Chuck Pagano back on the sidelines after two and a half months of chemotherapy with his battle of leukemia. Welcome back, coach Pagano! Indianapolis, we are ColtsStrong and most importantly, ChuckStrong!

#19 Butler holds off feisty Evansville, 75-67

Usually, there’s a slight hangover after beating a #1 team. This wasn’t the case with the #19-ranked Butler Bulldogs on Saturday at a sold out Hinkle Fieldhouse. It wasn’t an easy task, but Butler defended the Dawg Pound before heading home for a short Christmas break, defeating intra-state foe Evansville on Saturday, December 22, 75-67.

The Evansville Purple Aces made the drive from southern Indiana and were of the mindset that they would be the team that would force Butler to falter directly after beating a #1 team. Losing each of the last two seasons in overtime against Evansville, the Bulldogs were out to put a halt to that. And a halt is exactly what Butler executed and is now 5-0 versus Indiana opponents (Hanover, Ball State, IUPUI, Indiana and Evansville) and has won those by an average of 16 points.
Four minutes into the game, Evansville found itself in a 9-3 swing to open the game. Five of those points were by Egidijus Mockevicuis (Kursnai, Lithuania) and two each from Colt Ryan (Batesville, IN/Batesville) and Troy Taylor (Anderson, IN/Anderson). Andrew Smith (Zionsville, IN/Covenant Christian) and Kameron Woods (Louisville, KY/Eastern) then combined for six points to tie things up at 9-9, getting the Hinkle crowd riled up and ignited the Bulldogs on the hardwood.

Ryan Sawvell (Mundelein, IL) scored six in a row for the Purple Aces, but Kellen Dunham (Pendleton, IN/Pendleton Heights) and Rotnei Clarke (Verdigris, OK/Verdigris) also provided six for Butler to knot the game at 15-15.
Just like he’s become as of late, Roosevelt Jones (O’Fallon, IL/O’Fallon) became an x-factor, scoring five in a row and giving the Bulldogs two different leads. After Jones gave Butler its first lead at 17-15, DJ Balentine (Kokomo, IN/Kokomo) tied it right back up at 17-17. Jones was then fouled by Balentine, sinking a jumper and converting the free throw for the old-fashioned three-point play and a 20-17 lead, which they wouldn’t relinquish for the rest of the game.

The Dawgs then ran off on a 15-6 run, capped off by three Dunham free throws, for a 30-21 lead with 4:46 left in the first half.
Evansville made a run of its own, going on a 10-5 jaunt to close the gap at 35-31. It almost became a one-point tilt at the break, but Evansville’s Colt Ryan missed a three-point attempt with seconds left.

Head Coach Brad Stevens and company were up four at half, 35-31. They knew that Evansville wouldn’t go away and would stick around for all 40 minutes. They’re that kind of team that’s gutsy and gritty and might find themselves in the NCAA Tournament field in the middle of March.
Butler kept the lead, but mainly Evansville at just enough distance throughout the remainder of the game. The lead grew to nine a couple different times in the second half and 14 was their largest at 64-50 on a Rotnei Clarke three with 4:29 left, forcing a Purple Ace timeout.
Evansville tried putting this game on the shoulders of senior guard Colt Ryan, as he scored 19 of his game-high 25 points in the second half. Ryan also had five rebounds, five assists and five steals. It obviously wasn’t enough.

A Kameron Woods free throw gave the Bulldogs a seven point lead (71-64) with just 0:33 left. Colts Ryan knocked down the final trey for his game-high 25. It was fitting that Andrew Smith and Rotnei Clarke each sank a pair of shots from the charity stripe to seal the game, giving Butler a 75-67 win over the Evansville Purple Aces.
Evansville had a couple more in double-figures, with Ned Cox (San Antonio, TX) with 12 and Ryan Sawvell 10. On a positive note, Evansville forced 17 Bulldog turnovers and only committed 10 as a team. They also had nine steals to Butler’s five, but were outrebounded 39-29.

The Butler Bulldogs (9-2) had too much for the Purple Aces (7-5) in the second half. Andrew Smith netted 16 of his 20, along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while Rotnei Clarke scored 10 of his 20 in each half. Woods also grabbed 8 of his team-high 12 rebounds, finishing with a double-double, adding 10 points.

Kellen Dunham contributed 13 points, including 5-for-5 at the free throw line. Roosevelt Jones had 12, but was slow getting up after colliding face-to-face with an Evansville defender in the second half.
Both teams shot dismal from outside-the-arc, with Butler shooting 4-of-16 (25%) and Evansville going 4-of-15, but the Dawgs made up for it with decent overall shooting (24-for-49). Butler got to the free throw line when it mattered and that’s what the deciding factor in this battle was ultimately. The Bulldogs shot a stellar 23-for-27 (85%) from the charity stripe as a team, while the Purple Aces were just 13-of-18 (72%).

Butler takes a short break to be with their families over Christmas, but then gets back to work Wednesday for their road trip into SEC country. It will be the Bulldogs’ third true road game, the previous two were Xavier (lost, 62-47) and Northwestern (won, 74-65). Playing at Vanderbilt (5-5) will be a place that Butler has never played. The Dawgs are 3-0 all-time against Vanderbilt, but the two haven’t met since the 1929-30 season, which Butler won, 39-14. The two will meet up Saturday night, December 29 at 8 p.m. at the Commodores’ Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tennessee.

Barlow helps Butler knock-off #1 Indiana

The deck seemed to be stacked heavily against the Butler Bulldogs as they faced the #1 ranked Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Critics, fans and the media were already chalking this up as a victory for the highly-touted Hoosiers, despite it being a game on a neutral court and just a few miles from Butler’s campus.

Butler captivated the sold out (19,192) home of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and WNBA’s Indiana Fever for 45 minutes of play and the place completely erupted in the closing seconds of overtime.

Sophomore walk-on guard Alex Barlow played the unlikely hero for the Bulldogs, tossing up a tear-drop that bounced off the rim three times before falling through the net with 2.6 left to lift Butler (8-2) over #1 ranked Indiana (9-1), 88-86 in overtime.
Everyone showed up and played a significant role for Butler and rose to the occasion, to say the least. Because he fouled out toward the end of regulation, it almost went unnoticed that sophomore guard Roosevelt Jones played one whale of a ball game. Jones filled out his part of the box score with 16 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and two blocked shots.

Rotnei Clarke was at it again with his three-point prowess. The senior guard was 5-for-11 from outside the three-point arc with a game-high 19 points and also netted five of Butler’s 12 overtime points. He was the only player on either team that didn’t leave the floor, playing all 45 minutes.
Center Andrew Smith did his best to keep the Hoosiers’ center Cody Zeller from taking over the game with his normally prolific play in the paint. Smith limited Zeller to 4-for-9 on his field goals, but the 7’0 sophomore still managed to get to the charity stripe and make 10-of-14, finishing with 18 points. The Butler senior post player had a decent game for himself with 12 points and grabbing nine boards.

It was an atmosphere that compares to an NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen game and the fans wouldn’t have had it any other way.
The Bulldogs play much better against teams that they aren’t supposed to beat. They showed that during their two consecutive runs to the National Championship game in 2010 and 2011.
Keeping Indiana honest throughout the first half, Butler trailed just 37-33 at halftime.

The lead changed three times in the first 20 minutes and the Bulldogs got itself within that four point deficit with an Erik Fromm trey with just four seconds remaining. They brought themselves even closer with a Khyle Marshall bucket (37-35) just into the second half.
Anything that IU gave to Butler, the Dawgs had something they countered back with and just never went away and kept fighting.

It was complete unselfishness on the part of Butler and that’s just how Brad Stevens likes it.
With 5:50 left in the second half, freshman Kellen Dunham canned a three-pointer and Butler regained the lead 61-59. Pushing Indiana to their limits, Butler sagged back a little, which let the Hoosiers back into the game. Smith dropped in two of his 12 with 2:22 left and upped the lead to 71-64. Confidence got high and that’s when IU took off on a 12-5 run to tie things up at 76-76 to force overtime.
The script couldn’t have been written any better than the full tilt affair that it was and then all had to be decided with overtime. It’s another of the many reasons why basketball is such a beloved sport here in the state of Indiana.

Butler’s backcourt shined in the extra period with Clarke and Barlow combining for nine of the Bulldogs’ 12 overtime points. Cody Zeller was counted upon to lead his Hoosiers and that’s what he did in OT, scoring six of IU’s 10.
Senior guard Jordan Hulls got Indiana back on top 78-76 with a jumper 20 seconds into overtime. Clarke countered, tying it at 78 all. Junior guard Will Sheehey ignited the Hoosier faithful with a steal and dunked for an 80-78 edge.

The game was tied up twice more and Butler grabbed one more lead before Cody Zeller evened it up at 86-86 with just 19 tics left.
The last person on the floor for Butler that would be expected to take the last second shot was Alex Barlow. He has recently been called upon to become a starter and his defense and clutch scoring. Getting the ball with time winding down, Barlow made a spin move through the lane and finger-rolled the ball up and over the rim. The ball bounced off the right side of the rim, off the backboard and two more times off the rim before falling down through the next, giving Butler the 88-86 win in overtime. Jordan Hulls’ desperation three try was off the mark and Butler stole America’s heart again, beating #1 Indiana.

Victor Oladipo joined Zeller with a team-high 18, followed by 13 from Sheehey, 12 by freshman Indianapolis native Kevin Ferrell and Christian Watford added 10 points.
Along with the great games from Clarke, Smith and Jones, Butler also got 11 from Khyle Marshall and Erik Fromm gave BU 10 off the bench. Shooting 11-for-24 (46%) from three-point land and outrebounding Indiana 40-38 were just a couple factors that helped the Bulldogs pull off the upset.
Indiana (9-1) will face Mount St. Mary’s on Wednesday night at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, while Butler (8-2) matches up with the Evansville Purple Aces (6-4) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Andrew Smith's 24 lifts Butler to road victory at Northwestern

Butler notched its fourth consecutive victory on Saturday night and it was a tough one at times, but they held off a feisty Big 10 opponent on the road, 74-65. Senior center Andrew Smith led four Bulldogs in double-figures with a 24-point, 10 rebound outing.

Welsh-Ryan Arena is much smaller than Hinkle Fieldhouse and has the feel of a small high school gym. It puts the fans close to the floor and creates a much tougher environment for opponents, but that didn’t rattle Butler in the least bit.
Saturday’s trip to Evanston, Illinois was just the second true road game for the Bulldogs. Their first was a 15-point loss at the hands of the Xavier Musketeers and they also went 2-1 on a neutral court at the Maui Invitational.

Leading early on, Butler clung to a 6-4 advantage before Northwestern sharp-shooter Dave Sobolewski nailed a three for a 7-6 Wildcat edge. The Dawgs jumped back out in front with an Erik Fromm layup. The lead changed on the next possession with two from NU’s Alex Olah. The Wildcats kept the lead for just about the next five minutes of the first half. Andrew Smith snuck out beyond the three-point arc and tied things at 20-20 with 8:05 left until intermission.
A Roosevelt Jones layup with 6:07 gave Butler a 25-24 lead which they wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the game. The closest Northwestern got was 31-29 just before trailing 34-31 at halftime.
An Alex Barlow layup and Rotnei Clarke three bumped Butler out to a 39-31 margin at the start of the second half. The Wildcats were forced to play from behind for the rest of the game, which proved to be something of a very good thing for the Bulldogs.
The second half belonged to Andrew Smith though. Scoring 18 of his game-high 24, Smith was simply in a zone. He also snagged seven of his 10 rebounds in the second and became a catalyst on both ends of the court as Butler outlasted Northwestern 40-34 in the second half for a 74-65 win.

Northwestern got three into double-digits, led by Dave Sobelewski with 21 (6-for-11 FG's), Tre Demps with 15 and Reggie Hearn with 13 in 39 minutes.
Smith was joined by three other Bulldogs in double-figures by Clarke with 13 (4-of-6 on 3’s), 11 from Kellen Dunham (6-of-6 free throws) off the bench and 10 from Roosevelt Jones.
Butler (7-2) proved it could win on the road for sure by dominating the second half at Northwestern (7-3). The road gets tougher as December rolls on for the Bulldogs. This Saturday, December 15th, they’ll make the short trip to downtown Indianapolis as a part of the Close the Gap: Crossroads Classic in a matchup with #1 Indiana at 2 p.m. It will be their toughest test of the season yet.

Butler dominates IUPUI, 87-55

It didn’t take much doing, but the Butler Bulldogs made quick, easy work of the IUPUI Jaguars on Wednesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse and ran away, literally, with an 87-55 domination of their intra-city foe.

It’s probably a good thing that IUPUI’s campus is just on the west side of downtown Indianapolis. After losing by 32 points to Butler, they were reluctant to have just a short bus ride back to campus.
In the first nine-plus minutes, the Bulldogs stormed out to a commanding 20-2 lead that would grow even bigger throughout the remaining 30 minutes of play. That run that only began Butler’s mission to completely bury the Jags and it was highlighted by 6 points from Khyle Marshall; five from Kellen Dunham and Kameron Woods had four during that span.

IUPUI got a couple layups from Donovan Gibbs and Sean Esposito to trail just 23-6, but Butler made another run that was aided by eight from Erik Fromm (off the bench) and seven from Rotnei Clarke to push the Dawgs up 35-8.
Clark and center Andrew Smith combined for 10 to spark a 17-13 run to close out the first half, 52-21.
Already up 75-44 with 7:21 left, freshman guard Devontae Morgan did his part in reviving the Bulldog faithful and Hinkle. An alley-oop from Erik Fromm and Morgan flew through the air for an electrifying slam dunk. It wound up as the #1 play of the day on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10.

The Jaguars might have stuck right with Butler in the second half (35-34), but Brad Stevens’ squad did all the little things that will help them throughout the season. Their assist-to-turnover ratio was 2-1 (21 assists to 9 turnovers). IUPUI committed 19 turnovers, 14 of which were steals by the Bulldog D, five via the hands of Roosevelt Jones. Shooting 52% from three-point range (11-21) and 56% overall (30-54) were a couple big factors that helped quickly separate the Bulldogs from the Jaguars.
Spreading out the scoring and playing completely unselfish is exactly what Butler did for 40 minutes of basketball. Fourteen Bulldogs played and 11 provided scoring. Rotnei Clarke and Kellen Dunham led the way each with a game-high 17. Andrew Smith had 11, while Khyle Marshall and Erik Fromm both added 10 to round out the five Butler players in double-figures. Butler’s bench scored 46 points, including Dunham with 17 in 21 minutes, Kameron Woods with six and five rebounds and Jackson Aldridge with five points and five assists.

Wednesday night’s game at home against IUPUI was a game to figure out what different players were capable of doing and what they could be counted to do. One big example is that sophomore guard Alex Barlow got his first career start, grabbing four boards and three assists while showing the coaching staff how much more depth they can expect in the backcourt as the season progresses.
Butler has quite the challenging remaining schedule during the rest of the month of December. This Saturday, the Dawgs head to Welsh-Ryan Arena to meet up with Northwestern at 8 p.m. Next Saturday, will be their biggest test of the season. Banker’s Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis will pair up Butler with #1 Indiana in the Close the Gap Crossroads Classic. The final two Saturdays in December, the Bulldogs will host the Evansville Purple Aces (Dec. 22) and take a trip to Nashville, Tennessee and get a little taste of the SEC at Vanderbilt (Dec. 29).

Noblesville girls finding groove at right time

The outlook for this 2012-13 season gives this year’s batch of Noblesville Millers girl’s basketball players much to play for. They have a lot of experience and it’s all youth. The present and future are both looking very bright in head coach Donna Keck’s 5^th season at the helm.

The two juniors on Donna Keck's roster (Jessica Kiser and Brookelyn Barton) are the most experienced, followed by eight sophomores and three freshmen to make up the all-underclass Noblesville Millers.

Kiser, Barton, Becca Bergman and Erin Wood bring back four starters from last year's squad and with that kind of experience back, it should be a great year for Noblesville Miller basketball. With no seniors, some would think that this team would possibly lack the leadership it takes to come together and produce. It's become quite the opposite and only eight games into the season, which could prove to be a real eye-opener for all Noblesville basketball fans!

Noblesville 62, Indianapolis Tech 34 (at Tech: Nov. 6)
The Millers opened up their season jumping out to a 14-4 first quarter lead at Tech and led 22-12 at halftime. To make their presence even more felt at Arsenal Tech, Noblesville outscored the Titans 28-5 in the third quarter to extend the blowout to 50-17 after three. With everything on cruise control in the fourth, Keck's crew finished things off for a 62-34 season-opening victory. Sophomore Becca Bergman led all scorers with quite a game, netting 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and an remarkable eight steals to her credit. Jessica Kiser knotched herself a double-double to get her junior season going with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore forward Erin Wood almost joined the double-double parade, but chipped in a great game with eight points, 11 rebounds and three steals.

Noblesville 55, 3A#4 Hamilton Heights 46 (The Mill: Nov.10)
It was a game between two old county rivals that went back-and-forth and completely lived up to its billing. The two haven't played since the 2004-05 season, which Noblesville won at Hamilton Heights that year, 35-25. It was a tight one throughout, to say the least. The Millers and Huskies battled for 32 minutes and they had the crowd at The Mill on the edge of their seats. The two tied 9 times and there were 18 lead changes before Noblesville finally closed out the then-3A#4 Huskies.

Heights led 11-10 after one quarter, thanks to eight Miller fouls that led to the Huskies going 8-for-10 from the charity stripe. Three ties and six lead changes gave the crowd something to keep compelled in the first.

The second quarter became like a chess match on both ends of the floor. What it really came down to in the second frame was the turnover battle. Noblesville committed 7 turnovers to Hamilton Heights' 6 and that gave the Huskies a slight edge for a 19-18 halftime lead.

Noblesville took the third quarter 13-12 with Becca Bergman providing six of her game-high 15, but it didn’t happen without the lead shifting four times. After three, things were knotted up at 31-31.

The 4^th is where Noblesville forced Hamilton Heights into panic mode. The in-your-face defense of the Millers forced seven turnovers and 12 fouls, resulting in Noblesville going 15-of-19 from the free throw line en route to NHS upsetting the then-3A#4 ranked Huskies, 55-46. Junior forward Jessica Kiser was very pivotal with her leadership and her 8-for-10 free throw shooting in the fourth to give her 13 points on the night.

4A#8 Westfield 46, Noblesville 41 (at Westfield: Nov. 13)
It’s always a tough battle no matter where these two Hoosier Crossroads Conference rivals play. The Millers headed down SR 32 and came up short to the Rocks, 46-41.

Noblesville held leads of 22-21 at halftime and 32-29 through three quarters. Unfortunately, it was the second week of the season and the Millers weren’t able to fully put together a fourth quarter like they had four days before against Hamilton Heights. They were outscored 17-9 by Westfield.

Westfield was led in scoring by guard Kayla Brown with 22 points and center Jenn Anderson ended up with 15 points and 11 rebounds.  

3A#5 Lebanon 69, Noblesville 53 (The Mill: Nov. 16)

The Millers faced their third ranked opponent in a row and it was a tough, pesky test as the Lebanon Tigers came to The Mill.

Lebanon had experience and poise under pressure on their side on that Friday night. The Tigers scorched the nets early and often, getting Katie Curtis (game-high 18), Kristen Spolyar (16) and Carly Greene (11) in double-figures, while Whitney Cosgray (9) and Aspen Davis (8) chipped in their share.

Noblesville was led in scoring by freshman forward Alexis Shannon with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Jessica Kiser joined her in double digits with 10. While Becca Bergman only scored 4 points, she did dish out 6 assists and picked Lebanon’s pockets for four steals. Kayleigh Herron knocked down three treys for 9 points.

The Millers just couldn’t keep up with Lebanon. Losing the game 69-53, NHS was down five after the 1^st, 14 at halftime and 11 after three, before bowing out to the 3A ranked Tigers by 16.

Carmel 67, Noblesville 57 (at Carmel: Nov. 20)

Keck’s Millers started figuring out a better mix and chemistry was building, despite this becoming their third loss in a row. This became another game where Noblesville couldn’t figure out a way to finish the game and keep their lead. Tied 16-16 after one, they trailed 29-28 at halftime, but took a 50-49 lead after three and were outscored by the Greyhounds 18-7 in the final quarter to drop the road game to Hamilton county rival Carmel, 67-57.

Forward Jessica Kiser led the Millers in scoring with 17, while Erin Wood contributed 14 points and 9 rebounds, freshman Rachel Shipman was 3-for-8 from outside-the-arc for 9 points and Becca Bergman had 8 points and 6 assists.

Shooting just 38% (23-61), Noblesville wasn’t able to match the hot three-point shooting of Carmel’s 56% (10-of-18) accuracy. That was one of the big differences in the final outcome. One other big factor is that Noblesville shot a dismal 5-for-14 at the foul line for 36%.

TIPPECANOE VALLEY HOLIDAY TOURNMENT (Saturday, November 24)

Noblesville 69, Knox 35

This holiday tournament was just what Noblesville needed after three losses in a row heading into Thanksgiving. They were one point shy of doubling up Knox (69-35) in game one of the day. Noblesville was led in scoring by Erin Wood and Audrey DeFoe both with 14 and Jessica Kiser also had 12.

This time it was the Millers shooting 10-of-18 from three-point land (56%) and 45% overall from the field.

Noblesville 78, Tippecanoe Valley 42 (championship game)

Evidently the Miller girls don’t mind playing two games in the same day! They poured it on even more against host Tippecanoe Valley in the championship, 78-42.

Noblesville spread the scoring out for sure in this one. Alexis Shannon is now completely out of her shell and showed that she can be a bruiser and a scorer in the paint, finishing with a game-high 20 points and 13 rebounds. Becca Bergman also had a stellar night with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Jessica Kiser netted 11 points to go along with her 6 rebounds. Erin Wood was quiet with it, but she wound up with 7 points and 10 rebounds.

The Millers shot 45% overall (31-69), but mainly improved at the free throw line, going 13-for-17 (76%).

Noblesville 59, McCutcheon 36 (at McCutcheon: Dec. 1)

Noblesville has quickly turned itself into a good road team. They headed to Lafayette on a mission and came back to Noblesville still on that mission. Just a matinee` affair on a Saturday and the Millers made it into a business trip, beating the host Mavericks, 59-36.

Erin Wood had what was probably her best game of her young high school career with 16 points and 5 boards. Cori Cain also had a career game with 11 points for Noblesville. Kiser herself had a great ballgame, scoring 10 and grabbing 8 rebounds. Alexis Shannon, Kayleigh Herron and Audrey DeFoe all scored 6 in helping NHS to 39% shooting.

McCutcheon thought it was a good idea to fling up 3-for-21 from three-point range and shot 30% overall on field goals, while turning the ball over 19 times to Noblesville’s 10 giveaways.

Noblesville (5-3) hits the hardwood again this Friday night as they’ll be the front end of the girls-boys doubleheader. At 6 p.m. they’ll take on 4A#1 Hamilton Southeastern (8-0) for a chance to keep this three-game winning streak going.  

Bulldogs cruise in second half over Ball State

Butler beat Ball State on Saturday, going away, but the visiting Cardinals weren't going to go away quietly. BSU kept at a close distance throughout the first half of play and then found itself gaining momentum as the half came to a close.

Junior guards Jesse Berry (Lafayette, IN/Jefferson) and Chris Bond (Gary, IN/Bowman Academy) each dropped in a couple buckets to propel a 13-2 run for Ball State, tying the game at halftime, 33-33. Matt Kamieniecki (Clarkston, MI/Clarkston) chipped in a few free throws and Majok Majok (Perth, Australia/Midland College) sank a jumper as time expired in the half.

The 8,282 at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday all had hopes of an even better second half, especially from the host Bulldogs. They got that and more from Butler, especially from the supporting cast off the bench.
Ball State (2-4) may have grabbed the lead, 36-33, just into the second half, but that just ignited the Bulldog defense to step up and work even harder. End-capped by a Roosevelt Jones (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) layup, Butler (5-2) darted off on a 21-5 run to jump out to a 54-38 lead with just under eight minutes left.

Defensively, Butler was anchored by sophomore Alex Barlow (Springboro, OH/Moeller), who contributed five points, but also had three steals and three assists in his 19 minutes of action. Barlow and Jones combined for six of Butler's 10 steals that led to 19 turnovers by Ball State.

During the final five minutes, Bulldog center Andrew Smith (Zionsville, IN/Covenant Christian) scored eight of his 12 to keep the Cardinals at a distance, with Butler taking this version of the intra-state rivalry, 67-53.
Jesse Berry was Ball State's lone double-digit scorer with 12 points, but also turned the ball over seven times. Majok Majok had nine points and 10 rebounds.

Butler was paced in scoring by senior Rotnei Clarke (Verdigris, OK/Verdigris) with 15 points and five assists. Joining Clarke in double-figures were Andrew Smith (12) and Khyle Marshall (Davie, FL/Flanagan) with 10.

Neither team was lighting up the nets from three-point range. Ball State barely shot just better from three, going 2-of-11 for 18%, while Butler shot a horrid 4-of-23 for 17% from outside-the-arc. The difference in the game was the turnover margin. Ball State turned the ball over 19 times to just five for Butler.

Butler head coach Brad Stevens has to be pleased at the play of his defense and how they responded in the second half on Saturday. His squad outscored Ball State 34-20 in the second half.

The Dawgs will have their chances to keep it rolling in a couple outings this week. They host IUPUI (3-6) on Wednesday, December 5 and Hinkle Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Butler heads to Evanston, Illinois and Welsh-Ryan Arena to face the Northwestern Wildcats (6-2). This will be the first of two consecutive Big 10 opponents. Butler meets up with #1 Indiana at Banker's Life Fieldhouse on Saturday, December 15 for the Boston Scientific: Close the Gap Crossroads Classic.

Butler cruises to win over Hanover

The Butler Bulldogs took on Division III in-state foe Hanover College at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Tuesday night and produced a crowd-pleasing blowout over the Panthers, 97-73, which was just what the Bulldog faithful needed.

In front of a crowd of 5,547 at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Tuesday night, the Butler Bulldogs got themselves back on track after a somewhat disappointing second half during the Maui Invitational title bout against Illinois. They shot 59% (35-59 overall) and 9-of-18- from outside-the-arc.
The host Bulldogs quickly jumped out to a 15-2 lead before Hanover (3-1) was forced to call a timeout. The closest that the Panthers could get was 27-18 with (9:00 left) and 41-32 (1:00) in the first half.

Butler led 45-35 at halftime, but there was still room to improve and make more things happen. With eight minutes left, the margin grew to 30 at 80-50 and BU still wasn't done. Hanover might have outscored Butler 23-17 in the final eight, but it a majority of that was done against Bulldog reserves.

The Dawgs’Atlantic 10 conference Player of the Week, Rotnei Clarke, had no trouble erupting for 5-for-6 from three-point land to knock down his 19 points. Khyle Marshall joined Clarke with 19, along with six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. Andrew Smith dropped in 13 points and seven boards, Kellen Dunham had 12, while Roosevelt Jones added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Hanover was led by Ryan Nowicki and Michael Van Kleunen with 15 points each. The Panthers did force 16 Butler turnovers to only turning the ball over 11 times themselves. Hanover did have 20 assists on their 27 field goals made, including 10 by Tim Bass.

Brad Stevens and his Bulldogs stay home this Saturday, December 1st, as they host the Ball State Cardinals (2-2) at 2 p.m. They'll conclude this three-game home stand with the IUPUI Jaguars (3-4) coming to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday, December 5th at 7 p.m.

Illinois holds off pesky Butler for Maui Invitational title

The Maui Invitational has become the premier pre-season tournament in college basketball in recent years. Butler got its first invitation to play in Maui this year and made a great showing and better than most thought they would. They stunned Marquette on Monday afternoon with Rotnei Clarke's 25-foot three-pointer as time expired to win by one, 72-71. With 17 points each from Clarke and freshman Kellen Dunham, the Bulldogs completely shocked North Carolina in the semifinals, 82-71.

With the way the Butler Bulldogs (3-2) came alive against Marquette and North Carolina, they are quickly turning into a team with nerves of steel and really playing like they've got ice water in their veins. They gave it their best in the three-day Maui Invitational, but met their match in the Illinois Fighting Illini (6-0) on Wednesday night. Butler dropped the Maui Championship to Illinois, 78-61.

Brad Stevens' crew seemed a little behind than normal, which allowed Illinois to take advantage of Butler's somewhat late start in getting their style of game going. Senior Brandon Paul led Illinois with 20 points on the night and was named the MVP of the Maui Invitational.

The Illini sprang out to a 16-7 lead, thanks to a three-pointer right out of a timeout by D.J. Richardson. Butler closed the gap to a five (26-21) and six (28-22) points before Illinois extended their margin to 15 (37-22) before the first half came to a close, leading Butler 39-28.

With 12:26 left, Butler cut the deficit to five (49-44) with a Rotnei Clarke three, giving the Dawgs a big boost of confidence. Two three-pointers by Tyler Griffey and jumpers by Richardson and Brandon Paul deflated that Butler confidence and Illinois was back up on the Bulldogs by 15.
Butler twice brought it back to a nine point game before Illinois made its final push to put it out of reach for good, winning going away, 78-61.

Illinois had four players in double-figures, including Brandon Paul with 20, Tracy Abrams had 17 while D.J. Richardson and Tyler Griffey scored 14 each.

Butler's lone scorer in double-figures was sharp-shooting Rotnei Clarke with a game-high 27 points. The transfer from Arkansas was 10-for-19 from the floor and 6-of-13 from three-point land, playing 39 of the 40 minutes. The rest of the Bulldogs were pretty much shutdown from their normal outputs. Khyle Marshall finished with 8 points, Roosevelt Jones had 7 and Kameron Woods grabbed 8 rebounds.

Coach Stevens will look to regroup his Bulldogs back at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Tuesday, November 27 at 7 p.m. when Hanover makes the trip up from southern Indiana. Butler stays home and hosts the Ball State Cardinals at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 1st.

Butler dominates #9 North Carolina in Maui Invitational semis, 82-71

The Butler Bulldogs keep finding ways to get it done in the Maui Invitational. It didn't matter that their opponent, the North Carolina Tar Heels, are ranked #9 in the country. An obvious underdog against highly touted UNC, the Bulldogs were out to keep the nation talking. First, a buzzer-beater to stun Marquette, 72-71. Now, total domination in an upset of #9 North Carolina in the semifinals, 82-71.

Brad Stevens and his coaching staff always seem to revert back to doing things The Butler Way. "The Butler Way demands commitment, denies selfishness, accepts reality yet seeks improvement every day. We aspire to improve ourselves and those around us. This applies to our excellent academics, supportive environment, vibrant campus and the contributions we make to our community and world."

This is exactly what Butler basketball exemplifies and they made this statement true, during last night's win over Marquette and again tonight against North Carolina.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 21-7 lead just over halfway through the first half, thanks in part to Rotnei Clarke and Khyle Marshall for combining for 13 of those first 21. Clarke netted 14 of his game-high 17 points in the first half and that helped Butler storm out to a commanding 35-18 halftime advantage.

North Carolina just couldn't get out of the funk they started the night in. Anything the Tar Heels brought, Butler always had something to counter right back.

Freshman guard Kellen Dunham made a better showing in his second start in a Butler uniform by pouring in 14 of his game-high 17 in the second half. He was counted upon to provide scoring in the second half when Clarke was heavily guarded and he rose up to the challenge.

Butler extended its lead to over 20 points numerous times and had its largest margin of 29 (60-31) with an Erik Fromm basket with 11:56 left. But, North Carolina was at the point where they'd had enough of being dominated. UNC outscored the Bulldogs 40-22 down the final 11:33, but still wound up losing by 11, 82-71.

North Carolina was led in scoring by P.J. Hairston off the bench with 15 points, while Marcus Paige and Reggie Bullock each scored 13 and James Michael McAdoo added 10.

Dunham and Clarke combined for 34 points 10 rebounds (17 points and 5 rebounds each), 9-of-15 on three-point attempts and 5-5 from the foul line. Center Andrew Smith dropped in 13 points, including 7-8 on free throws. Khyle Marshall added a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards. Chase Stigall contributed 9, while Erik Fromm had 7 and Roosevelt Jones 6.

Butler (3-1) is a completely different squad than when they were put in their place one week ago at Xavier, 62-47. The Bulldogs will play for a title against Illinois (5-0) in Wednesday night's Maui Invitational championship game at 10 p.m. ET. Illinois beat Chaminade, 84-61, in the second semifinal.

Rotnei Clarke's buzzer-beating 3-pointer lifts Butler over Marquette in Maui

Once again, the Butler Bulldogs (2-1) provided quite the dramatic finish. Senior guard Rotnei Clarke weaved his way up the court, found space deep on the right wing, pulled up from 25-feet and sank a one-handed three as time expired. Clarke was mobbed immediately by his teammates as Butler advanced in the Maui Invitational over Marquette (2-1), 72-71.

Butler trailed 70-69 with eight seconds left. Marquette's Junior Cadougan was at the free throw line with a chance to put the Golden Eagles up three. Cadougan made the first and missed the second, setting up the final play for Clarke.

Marquette got itself out to an 8-2 early lead only three minutes in before Butler and head coach Brad Stevens were forced to call a 30 second timeout to regroup. The Bulldogs climbed out of the hole it was in when freshman guard Kellen Dunham knocked down two free throws for a 25-23 lead. Clarke sank two himself from the charity stripe for a four point margin at 27-23. Vander Blue gave Marquette the lead again with six unanswered points to go up 29-27. Butler closed out the half, taking the lead on a pair of jumpers by Clarke and Khyle Marshall for a 31-30 advantage at intermission.

This first quarterfinal of the 2012 Maui Invitational was a game of spurts and seeing which team was going to outlast the other. Butler just didn't stop with its intense style of play and Marquette was never able to pull away like it appeared they wanted so badly to do. The Bulldogs caught a lot of breaks at got those at just the right times. A game that featured five ties and nine lead changes, the fans that made the trip to Maui were treated with a great game to open the three day invitational.

Vander Blue paced Marquette's scoring with 21 points, while Junior Cadougan had 14 and Devonte Gardner dropped in 12 and seven rebounds.

Khyle Marshall led all scorers with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Rotnei Clarke finished with 20 points and six boards, including the 25-foot game-winner. Clarke was responsible for all four of Butler's three-point field goals (4-for-14) and the rest of the team was 0-7 from three. Also in double-figures for the victorious Bulldogs was Roosevelt Jones with 12 and Andrew Smith with 10.

Butler will have its hands full on Tuesday night when they'll take on #9 North Carolina at 8 p.m. ET in Maui. North Carolina rolled over Mississippi State, 95-49.

Butler Bulldogs sign three standouts for 2013 class

Talent comes and talent goes, but most schools just call it reloading. At a school like Butler University, student-athletes tend to stick around for all four years of their eligibility. Recently, the only exceptions that didn't stick around for their full four seasons of playing eligibility both had the priviledge of helping lead the Bulldogs to a National Championship game in their final seasons at Butler.

Gordon Hayward, now in his third NBA season with the Utah Jazz and Shelvin Mack is in his second season in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, were both a part of the 2010 National Runner-up team that almost beat Duke. Mack was a true leader in Butler's 2011 NCAA Tournament run before falling to Connecticut.

The 2013 Butler Bulldog recruiting class is compiled of three players that are winning as high schoolers and are great student-athletes, two ingredients that are a vital part of joining Brad Stevens' program and Butler University.

Nolan Berry is a 6'8 center at De Smet Jesuit Prep in Missouri. As a junior last season, Berry was recognized as one of the top high school players in Missouri and was a 1st Team All-State selection. Averaging 19.5 points and 9.2 rebounds, Nolan led De Smet Jesuit to a 19-9 record. His grandfather, Ed Macauley, is a former NBA player.

Andrew Chrabascz will also bring his talents to Indianapolis in 2013 from Cushing Academy in Massachusetts, but resides in Portsmith, Rhode Island. The 6'6 Chrabascz puts up some pretty solid numbers and will more than likely fit nicely playing as a small forward for the Bulldogs. During his junior year, Andrew averaged 17 points, 9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game while leading Cushing Academy to a 20-7 mark. He is a physical presence with a great inside-out game.

Rene Castro is a 6'2 two-guard from Worcester, MA (Worcester Academy) will be a great addition right away next fall. Castro was the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, averaging 23.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals, while shooting 42% from three-point range. Rene picked Butler over fellow Atlantic 10 members, Duquesne and George Washington and also Boston University.

With guards Rotnei Clarke and Chase Stigall, along with center Andrew Smith all three graduating after this season, Berry, Chrabascz and Castro will be able to fill the shoes of three those outgoing seniors.

Butler Bulldogs are stacked, ready for another Final Four run

          Basketball enthusiasts are wondering whether head coach Brad Stevens’ Butler Bulldogs will be able to find their way back to the Final Four again.

Butler shocked the nation by not just getting itself to its first Final Four appearance, but almost won the National Championship, dropping a heartbreaker on their hometown at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, 61-59.

They found themselves in a similar position, making their second straight Final Four appearance, this time in Houston in 2011. Making their presence known in their national semi-final victory over fellow mid-major VCU, Butler bowed out in the National Championship to Connecticut, 53-41.

The 2011-12 season last year became a down, rebuilding year for the Bulldogs. Despite losing in the semifinals of the College Basketball Invitational, Butler still played 37 games (22-15) as it had in the previous two years reaching the Final Four in 2010 (33-5) and 2011 (28-10). Not making even an appearance in the NCAA Tournament is this past March’s Big Dance, left BU with a bad taste in its mouth that’s helped motivate them throughout the off-season.

A look at the 2012-13 Butler Bulldogs…

Just from hear-say around Indianapolis, the buzz before this season started was that this year’s Butler squad could really make a legit run to the Final Four in Atlanta. Yes, that is a pretty bold statement, especially since the ‘Dawgs have only played one game against Elon (won 74-59) to open their season and will get their first game of national attention today (Tuesday) at 4pm on ESPN at Xavier as a part of the ESPN Tip-Off Marathon.

The Bulldogs have a lot of experienced veterans that saw important floor time in both Final Four appearances two and three years ago. They also bring in a few newcomers that will be plugged into the equation right away and be key contributors as Butler journeys into its first year as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Senior transfer Rotnei Clarke (Verdigris, OK/Verdigris) came to BU from Arkansas last year, but had to sit out because the NCAA requires so when transferring from one Division I athletic institution to another. Clarke is considered to be one of the country’s top three-point shooters and was an All-SEC second-team performer two years ago before heading to Indianapolis.

Clarke is joined by 6’6 freshman sharp-shooter Kellen Dunham (Pendleton, IN/Pendleton Heights) and 6’3 freshman point guard Devontae Morgan (Tampa, FL/Tampa Prep) as the three “rookies” on Brad Stevens’ roster.  

Those three will provide much-needed depth in the backcourt, along with senior Chase Stigall (New Castle, IN/Chrysler) and sophomore swingman Roosevelt Jones (O’Fallon, IL/O’Fallon). Fellow sophomores Jackson Aldridge (Sydney, Australia/Australia Institute of Sport) and Alex Barlow (Springboro, OH/Archbishop Moeller) will both see considerable time off the Butler bench as the season progresses.

Andrew Smith (Zionsville, IN/Covenant Christian) is back for his senior season and will be joined in the Bulldog frontcourt by junior Khyle Marshall (Davie, FL/Flanagan), explosive sophomore forward Kameron Woods (Louisville, KY/Eastern), Erik Fromm (Bloomington, IN/South) and Andrew Smeathers (Bargersville, IN/Center Grove).

Butler sees its immediate move to the A-10 as a big step in the right direction. Not that they couldn’t have continued to do more damage as members of the Horizon League, but it’s almost better that the Bulldogs have stepped up their competition level, because they relish in challenge.

Projected starting lineup:

C     44 Andrew Smith SR (Zionsville, IN/Covenant Christian)

F     23 Khyle Marshall JR (Davie, FL)/Flanagan)

F     21 Roosevelt Jones SO (O’Fallon, IL/O’Fallon)

G     15 Rotnei Clark SR (Verdigris, OK/Verdigris)

G     33 Chase Stigall SR (New Castle, IN/Chrysler)

Off the Bulldog bench…

F    31 Kameron Woods SO (Louisville, KY/Eastern)

G    24 Kellen Dunham FR (Pendleton, IN/Pendleton Heights)

F      4 Erik Fromm JR (Bloomington, IN/South)

G      3 Alex Barlow SO (Springboro, OH/Archbishop Moeller)

G      2 Devontae Morgan FR (Tampa, FL/Tampa Prep)

G    11 Jackson Aldridge SO (Sydney, AUS/Aus. Institute of Sport)

F      0 Andrew Smeathers SO (Bargersville, IN/Center Grove)

C    22 Emerson Kampen SR (Muncie, IN/Yorktown)

G    30 Elliott Kampen SO (Muncie, IN/Yorktown)

Key games in 2012-13:

Tuesday, Nov. 13 at Xavier 4pm ESPN (ESPN Tip-Off Marathon)

Maui Invitational: The Lahaina Civic Center – Maui, HI

Monday, Nov. 19 vs. Marquette

Tuesday, Nov. 20 vs. TBA

Wednesday, Nov. 21 vs. TBA

Saturday, Dec. 1 vs. Ball State 2pm MyIndy-TV

Saturday, Dec. 8 at Northwestern 8pm Big Ten Network

Saturday, Dec. 15 vs. Indiana (Boston Scientific Close the Gap Crossroads Classic at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis) 2pm ESPN2

Saturday, Dec. 22 vs. Evansville 2pm MyIndy-TV

Saturday, Dec. 29 at Vanderbilt 8pm ESPNU

Saturday, Jan. 19 vs. Gonzaga 9pm ESPN

Thursday, Jan. 31 at Saint Louis 9pm CBS Sports Network

Friday, Feb. 22 vs. Saint Louis 7pm ESPNU

Saturday, Mar. 2 at VCU 12pm ESPN

Thursday, Mar. 7 at Massachusetts 7pm NBC Sports Network

Saturday, Mar. 9 vs. Xavier 6:30 CBS Sports Network

2012-13 Indiana men's basketball preview

Expectations are higher than they haven been in many years in Bloomington. The Hoosiers that have come back to play another year to play for Tom Crean, are combining with this highly touted freshman recruiting class in hopes of bringing IU basketball back to the days of old.

Indiana has plenty of depth across the board with 17 players on the 2012-13 roster. Two incoming freshmen, Peter Jurkin (Juba, Sudan/United Faith Christian Academy) and Hanner Mosquera-Perea (Istmina, Columbia/LaPort La Lumiere) have been suspended nine games by the NCAA for receiving improper benefits from an AAU coach Mark Adams while in high school, the Indiana University announced on Tuesday. Indiana is looking to appeal the amount of games that Jurkin and Perea will be suspended.

It's honestly looking like an 11 man rotation that the Hoosiers will run with and more than likely, they'll throw a couple more than that into their mix as the season progresses. Seniors Jordan Hulls (11.7 pts, 2.5 reb) and Victor Oladipo (10.8 pts, 5.3 reb) will join freshman phenom Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell to make up the three-guard lineup that Crean will start on the floor. Senior Christian Watford (12.6 pts, 5.8 reb) and sophomore Cody Zeller (15.6 pts, 6.6 reb) will form the post duo down low for IU.

Indiana's bench looks to be a big part of Crean's plan this winter. Will Sheehey (junior), Maurice Creek (junior), Derek Elston (senior), Remy Abell (sophomore), Jeremy Hollowell (freshman) and Austin Etherington (sophomore) all looks to be keys parts of the Hoosiers off the bench.

The Hoosiers have a lot of confidence, as they should, with the seasoned veterans that are back, as well as the new players to the program. They're the pre-season #1 ranked team in the country and are seeking the school's first national championship since 1987. Indiana surprised a lot of people when they advanced to the 2002 National Championship game before bowing out to Maryland under former head coach Mike Davis.

Expectations are one thing for the Hoosiers, living up to them is another and we'll see that throughout the season.

Last night, IU got their regular season schedule started vs. Bryant University at Assembly Hall in Bloomington. They found themselves down 15-14 early in the first half, but quickly climbed in front for good and went on to cruise to a 97-54 victory. Christian Watford (15 pts, 15 boards) and Cody Zeller (18 points, 10 rebounds) paced the Hoosiers, while Remy Abell and Jeremy Hollowell added 12 with Kevin Ferrell and Will Sheehey chipped in 10 points a piece.

Projected starting lineup:
F      2     Christian Watford SR (Birmingham, AL/Shades Valley)
F    40     Cody Zeller SO (Washington, IN/Washington)
G     1     Jordan Hulls SR (Bloomington, IN/South)
G    11    Kevin Ferrell FR (Indianapolis, IN/Park Tudor)
G     4     Victor Oladipo JR (Upper Marlboro, MD/DeMatha)

Off the Hoosiers bench...
G/F  0     Will Sheehey JR (Stuart, FL/Sagemont)
F      3     Maurice Creek JR (Oxon Hill, MD/Hargrave Military Academy)
G   23     Remy Abell SO (Louisville, KY/Eastern)
F    32     Derek Elston SR (Tipton, IN/Tipton)
F    33     Jeremy Hollowell FR (Indianapolis, IN/Lawrence Central)
C    12    Hanner Mosquera-Perea FR (Istmina, Columbia/LaPorte La Lumiere)
F    13     Austin Etherington SO (Cicero, IN/Hamilton Heights)
G   10     Jonny Marlin SO (Greenwood, IN/Center Grove/IPFW)
F    24     Jeff Howard JR (Westfield, IN/Westfield)
C    42      Peter Jurkin FR (Juba, Sudan/United Faith Christian Academy)
G    15     Raphael Smith RS SO (South Bend, IN/Riley)
G    20     Taylor Wayer JR (Indianapolis, IN/Bishop Chatard)

Key games in 2012-13:
Friday 11/9     Bryant  Won, 97-54
Monday 11/19   Georgia (Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY) 5:30pm ESPNU
Tuesday 11/20   UCLA/Georgetown (Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY) 7:30 or 10pm ESPN/ESPNU
Sunday 11/25   Ball State 6pm Big Ten Network
Tuesday 11/27   North Carolina (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) 9:30pm ESPN
Saturday 12/15   Butler (at Banker's Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis: Boston Scientific Close the Gap Crossroads Classic) 2pm CBS
Tuesday 1/15     Wisconson 9pm ESPN
Sunday 1/27     Michigan State 1pm CBS
Wednesday 1/30     at Purdue 8:30 Big Ten Network
Saturday 2/2       Michigan (College Gameday at Assembly Hall) 9pm ESPN
Sunday 2/10     at Ohio State 1pm CBS
Saturday 2/16     Purdue 2pm ESPN2
Tuesday 2/19     at Michigan State 7pm ESPN
Tuesday 3/5       Ohio State 9pm ESPN
Sunday 3/10     at Michigan TBA TBA

IHSAA football Regional Championships

Eight teams left in each of the five classes. Eight matchups feature teams that have never met on the gridiron before this weekend, in their respective storied histories. Eight teams left that are still undefeated this season (12-0 records). Seven have one-loss and eight have just two losses on the season. The Regional Championships really get us down to the time of the 40th Annual IHSAA football state tournament when it's the "survival of the fittest" and if you don't bring your "A game," your dreams for a journey to a state championship are dashed in a heartbeat.

CLASS 5A
Carroll (Allen) (10-2) at Merrillville (10-2) [Demaree Stadium]
Carroll's football program is in a revitatalization stage and they've made great strides the past two seasons to get the Chargers back on track. Finished 8-4 last season, prior to having six consecutive losing seasons. Merrillville head coach Zac Wells just won his 4th sectional title in his 7th year with the Pirates. This should be a great matchup and probably a high-scoring affair.
My pick: Merrillville

Fishers (9-3) at Fort Wayne Snider (12-0) [Spuller Stadium]
Fishers surprised some, but not a lot of folks by winning Sectional 4. They had tough regular season losses to Hamilton SE, Zionsville and Brownsburg, but got their revenge on rival HSE in the sectional semifinals. Snider plays a tough schedule in the Summit Athletic Conference with wins over Fort Wayne Luers, Fort Wayne North (2 wins) and Fort Wayne Dwenger, along with big wins over Penn and Homestead. Fishers won this 2010 Regional matchup at Snider (47-34) en route to their 2010 5A State Championship
My pick: Fort Wayne Snider

Pike (9-3) at Lawrence Central (12-0) [Smysor Field]
Red Devils head coach Derek Moyers and Bears head coach Jayson West gather the troops for a rematch of their Week 4 meeting that was at Pike. LC won that matchup 34-23. Lawrence Central has won 10 of the last 16 in this series. Pike just has losses to Ben Davis, these LC Bears and were tripped up in Week 8 against Perry Meridian.
My pick: Lawrence Central

Castle (12-0) at Center Grove (11-1) [Trojan Field]
Castle is a team that always seems to fly "under the radar" down in the southern part of the state near Evansville. This may be the year that the Knights get over the hump and continue on in the playoffs. It'll be a tough task playing at Center Grove. The Trojans, on the other hand, have that upper hand tonight playing at home. They did take Castle by surprise in 2008 on the road, beating the Knights on their home turf, 49-7 in their last meeting.
My pick: Center Grove

CLASS 4A
Hammond Morton (7-5) at Mishawaka (9-3) [Steele Stadium]
After going just 4-5 during their regular season, the Hammond Morton Governors have righted their ship and have since won four in a row by a combined 182-50, two of those being shutouts. The host Mishawaka Cavemen have won 7 games in a row. In just their second season in Class 4A, Mishawaka is seeking its first Regional Championship. This is the first meeting between Hammond Morton and Mishawaka. Previously a Class 5A membered school, they struggled for years to advance in the playoffs because of yearly sectional matchups with the powerhouse Penn Kingsmen.
My pick: Mishawaka

Concord (10-2) at Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (6-6) [Zollner Stadium]
The Concord Minutemen know they have a tough task ahead of them tonight when they head to Fort Wayne to face a scrappy Bishop Dwenger squad that has had an up-and-down year. The Saints have had two separate three-game losing streaks to their discredit, the first against FW North, FW Northrop and Cathedral and the other streak losing three in a row to Chatard, FW Snider and FW Luers. Playing a brutal schedule turns out to be a good thing for both of these teams. Dwenger put together three wins in a row  over Jay County, Columbia City and Norwell to take Sectional 12. The Minutemen have two five-game winning streaks that opened them at 5-0 and now have them on another five-game winning streak. In the middle of their season in Weeks 6 and 7, Concord hit a snag in their stride, losing two in a row to then-3A #1 Jimtown and then-4A ranked Plymouth by a combined 79-28, a shutout coming at Jimtown (48-0). The Minutemen win tonight, there's no stopping them en route to Indianapolis.
My pick: Concord

Mount Vernon (Fortville) (11-1) vs. Indianapolis Cathedral (7-5) [at Indianapolis Tech]
After an season-opening loss in overtime (28-21) to Kokomo, the Marauders of Mount Vernon have been virtually unstoppable in running off 11 consecutive wins heading into tonight's Regional vs. Cathedral at Indianapolis Tech. Cathedral always plays a tough regular season, because they have the freedom to play whomever, whenever and wherever to make the Irish as competitive as they are year in and year out in the 4A playoffs.
My pick: Mount Vernon (Fortville)

Columbus East (12-0) at Evansville Reitz (9-3) [The Reitz Bowl]
People may have expected the Columbus East Olympians to be a little down after having Gunner Kiel as their QB the past few years, but that hasn't happened in the least bit. The Olympians have tweaked their offense somewhat, but bring their 12-game winning streak on the line when they head to The Reitz Bowl on Saturday to face Reitz. The Panthers were considered written off, to an extent, when they started the season 1-3. Winning at Henderson County (Kentucky), then losing three in a row at Louisville Central and at home to Castle and Evansville Central, Reitz has completely turned its season around by rattling off eight wins, including their latest, a thriller for the 4A Sectional 16 title over #2 Jasper, 31-30.
My pick: Columbus East

CLASS 3A
Heritage (10-2) at Mishawaka Marian (9-3) [Otolski Field]
Heritage shocked #1 Jimtown 40-29 at home for the Sectional 18 Championship. They also have to their credit four and six-game winning streaks. The host Knights are on a four-game winning streak, outscoring those opponents 154-56.
My pick: Mishawaka Marian

Hamilton Heights (11-1) at Eastbrook (9-3) [George Freck Field]
Hamilton Heights lost their season-opener to Tipton (19-14) at Lucas Oil Stadium, but has ran the table from Week 2 with 11 straight wins. Look out for the Huskies. Eastbrook is now on its second four-game winning streak and looks to knock off this hot Hamilton Heights group, but it will be the toughest of tasks.
My pick: Hamilton Heights

Greensburg (10-2) vs. Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (10-2) [at Lawrence North]
The Greensburg Pirates won their first Sectional title since 1989 with their 3A Sectional 22 win over Indian Creek last week. Scott Moore's Pirates are a three-headed monster in the backfield with Derek Chambers, Elliott Green and Ryan Martin all sharing carries and look to catch Chatard's defense. Chatard started out 4-0, then lost two straight to Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter and Cincinnati Elder, combining to double-up the Trojans in those two 80-40. Since then, head coach Vince Lorenzano's Trojans have won six in a row, by an astounding 236-28.
My pick: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard

Gibson Southern (10-2) at Charlestown (12-0) [Dutch Reis Field]
Gibson Southern head coach Nick Hart has his Titans playing a dream season, aside from regular season losses coming at the hands of North Posey and Southridge. Charlestown is fully having that dream season with their 12-0 mark. The Pirates have only allowed 79 points (6.6 avg.) all season while scoring 720 (60 avg.), with four shutouts and only three opponents have scored in double digits. They may be unstoppable.
My pick: Charlestown

CLASS 2A
Andrean (10-2) at Lewis Cass (11-1) [Owens Field]
This is the first meeting ever between the Fighting 59ers and the Kings, and what better atmosphere to play at than Owens Field and its stories history. Andrean has only losses to Merrillville and Hobart, both on the road. Cass lost its lone game in Week 4 in a Mid-Indiana Conference game at Hamilton Heights. Since then, Scott Mannering's Kings have taken control of their season with eight wins in a row.
My pick: Lewis Cass

Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (8-4) at Tipton (11-1) [Tipton Field]
Luers has a two, three and now a four-game winning streak so far this season. The Knights will for sure be tested when they play at Tipton tonight. The Blue Devils have only been tripped up once this season and that was in Week 6 at Lafayette Central Catholic, 24-13. Other than that, Tipton has been in a complete business mode, starting out 5-0 and have won six straight since that Week 6 blemish at Lafayette Central Catholic.
My pick: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers

Shenandoah (9-3) vs. Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter (12-0) [Knights Stadium, Marian University]
Saying Shenandoah has their work cut out for them, is a big understatement. But, they did knock off high-scoring Heritage Christian at home for the sectional title last week, 41-35. Cardinal Ritter has overwhelmed its opponents 620 (51.7) to 221 (18.4).
My pick: Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter

Evansville Mater Dei (10-2) at Lawrenceburg (11-1) [Neary Memorial Field]
Defending 2A State Runners-up Mater Dei looks to get back to Lucas Oil Stadium on Thanksgiving Friday, but the high scoring Lawrenceburg Bears are standing in their way in this week's Regional. Mater Dei started their season out 7-0 before two losses in a row to a couple bigger school in Castle and Evansville Reitz. Lawrenceburg lost their only regular season game to a 4A ranked East Central team in Week 7. Since that loss, the Tigers have scored at least 50 points per game and allowed just 68 in their five wins since Week 7.
My pick: Lawrenceburg

CLASS 1A
Lafayette Central Catholic (11-1) at Winamac (9-3) [Roudebush Field]
The Knights and Warriors have never met on the football field. Lafayette Central Catholic is gunning for their fourth straight 1A State Championship. Winamac will be a tough road game for LCC.
My pick: Lafayette Central Catholic

Sheridan (8-4) at North Miami (9-3) [North Miami Field]
This game is almost a toss-up. Sheridan has had an odd season in that they've had two four-game winning streaks, but have legit losses to Western Boone, Hamilton Heights, Tipton and Culver Academy. You never know what a Bud Wright team will do in the playoffs though. North Miami has separate streaks of four and three wins to get them to Regionals.
My pick: Sheridan

Indianapolis Scecina (9-3) at North  Vermillion (12-0) [Gibson Field]
Scecina might be the defending 1A State Runners-up, but they're ironically the same, record-wise, as they were a year ago on their way to Lucas Oil Stadium. North Vermillion is in a lot better position than they were for last year's Regional. They were 6-6 heading into last year's Regional vs. Scecina, losing that game 35-8. Now undefeated, the Falcons look to avenge that loss in 2011.
My pick: North Vermillion

Linton-Stockton (12-0) at West Washington (9-3) [Art Sanders Field]
These two haven't squared off in the playoffs since 2008 in Sectional play (a 20-8 Linton-Stockton win), but this time its at West Washington. The host Senators are riding high off a big road win last week for a sectional title at Milan, their first since 1994, but West Washington hasn't won a Regional since 1993. Linton-Stockton might turn this game into a runaway, right away. The Miners have outscored their 12 opponents 639 (53.3 avg.) to 63 (5.3 avg.) and have only allowed two opponents to score in double digits.
My pick: Linton-Stockton

It's going to be a fun night of high school football Regional action! I will be at Lawrence North High School for the Greensburg (10-2) vs. Indianapolis Chatard (10-2) matchup in 3A with Matt Scheidler on seilocalsports.com calling the game.

2012-13 Notre Dame men's basketball preview

Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey has his squad in a great position to compete for the Big East championship, just as they did last season. I don't think there's another school in the country that can say what Brey can. His starting five from the previous season is all coming back this season. Brey is 260-132 in 12 seasons of success under the Golden Dome and 359-184 in 17 seasons overall as a head coach, the five previously at Delaware.

Just four games into the 2011-12 campaign, the Irish lost senior forward Tim Abromaitis with an ACL injury, which hurt Notre Dame's game outside the arc. Following the season, junior-to-be Alex Dragicevich decided to transfer because his playing time diminished as the season progressed.

The Irish are pre-season ranked #22 by the Associated Press/#23 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and expectations are once again high, as they should be. This group has become more and more comfortable with each other and with some key additions and incoming freshmen, they could make a push for the Sweet 16 or further in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Fifth-year senior Scott Martin was granted a 6th year of eligibility by the NCAA. Brey was hoping that Abromaitis would have also been granted a sixth year, but he was denied that possibly because of his suspension to start the season. Senior forward/center Garrick Sherman transferred to Notre Dame after the 2010-11 season from Michigan State and sat out last season as required by the NCAA. Starting 29 games during his freshman and sophomore years for head coach Tom Izzo at MSU, Sherman should be primed and ready for action. 

The Irish backcourt is going to be a lot of fun to watch this season. Junior point guard Eric Atkins (12.1 ppg, 4.1 apg) will look to take turns dishing out assists with junior Jerian Grant (12.3 ppg, 5 apg). Sophomore swingman Pat Connaughton (7.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg) will be a key contributor from outside-the-arc.

The starting frontcourt of seniors Scott Martin (9.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and second-team All-Big East selection Jack Cooley (12.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) should pull down a ton of rebounds between the two, not to mention all the help they'll have off the bench from veterans Garrick Sherman (senior), Tom Knight (senior), Mike Broghammer (senior), along with freshmen Cameron Biedscheid, Austin Burgett, Zach Auguste and Eric Katenda.

I have a bias with the Irish, because I'm a die-hard Notre Dame fan. I'll admit it. I honestly see this team making an appearance in the Sweet 16, possibly advancing to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament in March. There is a lot of time and plenty of basketball to be played and I'm pretty excited to see what's in store for this 13th version of Mike Brey's Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Projected starting lineup:
F     14     Scott Martin 5TH (Valparaiso, IN/Valparaiso HS/Purdue)
F     45     Jack Cooley SR (Glenview, IL/Glenview South)
G      0     Eric Atkins JR (Columbia, MD/Mount St. Joseph)
G    22     Jerian Grant JR (Bowie, MD/DeMatha)
G    24     Pat Connaughton SO (Arlington, MA/St. John's Prep)

Off the Irish bench...
F/C 11     Garrick Sherman SR (Kenton, OH/Kenton)
F     25     Tom Knight SR (Dixfield, ME/Dirigo)
F     33     Mike Broghammer SR (Osono, MN/Hopkins)
G      4     Patrick Crowley JR (Los Gatos, CA/St. Francis)
F       1     Cameron Biedscheid FR (St. Louis, MO/Cardinal Ritter College Prep)
F     20     Austin Burgett FR (Avon, IN/Avon)
F       2     Zach Auguste FR (Marlborough, MA/New Hampton)
F     15     Eric Katenda FR (Paris, France/Sunrise Christian Academy, Kansas)
G    32     Joey Brooks SR (Houston, TX/Strake Jesuit College Prep)

Key games in 2012-13:
Saturday, Nov. 10 vs. Evansville 2pm (season opener)
Thursday, Nov. 29 vs. Kentucky 7pm (ESPN2)
Saturday, Dec. 15 vs. Purdue 4:30 pm (ESPN2) (Banker's Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis)
Monday, Jan. 7 at Cincinnati 7pm (ESPN2)
Saturday, Jan. 12 vs. UConn 2pm (Big East Network)
Tuesday, Jan. 15 at St. John's (at Madison Square Garden) 7pm (ESPN2)
Monday, Jan. 21 vs. Georgetown 7:30 (ESPN)
Monday, Feb. 4 at Syracuse 7pm (ESPN)
Saturday, Feb. 9 vs. Louisville 6 or 9pm (ESPN)
Sunday, Feb. 24 vs. Cincinnati 2pm (CBS)
Saturday, Mar. 2 at Marquette 2pm (ESPN or ESPN2)
Saturday, Mar. 9 at Louisville 4pm (CBS)

Stay tuned to my blog as I will also be previewing four other big Division I basketball schools in the state of Indiana. The Butler Bulldogs will be next, so come back for a preview of one of the newest members of the Atlantic 10 conference!