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.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Sunday, December 30, 2012
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!
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!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
#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.
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.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
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.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
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.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
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).
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 5th 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 4th 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.
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 4th 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 1st, 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.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
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.
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.
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