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