This matchup of former so-called "mid-majors" lived up to all of its billing and much more. #8 Gonzaga and #13 Butler captured the college basketball world on Saturday and made everyone forget about what went on this week with all of the Lance Armstrong and Manti Te'o news that bogged down the sports world.
Butler's Roosevelt Jones stole David Stockton's inbound pass with seconds left, drove down and sank a floater from 13-feet as time expired to lift his Bulldogs over the visiting Gonzaga Bulldogs, 64-63.
It was a tough task that many thought Butler might not be able to do, but senior guard Rotnei Clarke missed his second consecutive game with a sprained neck from last Saturday's win at Dayton. No need for Butler to worry, Clarke's teammates were more than happy to step up and take his place until he's able to be back in the lineup.
In a game that had six ties and 14 lead changes, it was pretty evident that it was going to be a game that came down to the wire.
Even with a capacity crowd (10,228) at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Gonzaga wasn't frazzled at all with the home crowd playing a big factor. The visiting Bulldogs from Spokane jumped out to an early 13-4 lead before Butler's offense was sparked by freshman Kellen Dunham. Dunham put the Dawgs on his shoulders on a run that brought Butler right back in the game with a 22-20 lead with 7:52 left in the first half. In that seven minute span, Dunham led an 18-7 run with three treys, the last of those from the deep right wing for the two-point edge.
Sam Dower was huge off the Zags' bench, lighting up the Hinkle nets for 16 of his 20 points, including a three-pointer with 49 ticks until intermission to give Gonzaga a 33-32 halftime advantage.
Roosevelt Jones knocked down a jumper just 15 seconds into the second half to give Butler a 34-33 edge that they would keep until things got knotted up at 50-50 with a Kelly Olynyk layup. Olynyk had a long haircut that resembled Bill Walton in the 1970's when he was playing for the Portland Trailblazers.
Jones and Khyle Marshall combined for eight straight for Butler, giving them a slim 58-55 margin with 2:13 remaining.
Elias Harris gave the Zags a brief lead (59-58) with 1:26 left, but that didn't last long. On the ensuing possession, Rose Jones nailed a free throw line jumper for a 60-59 BU lead.
Harris provided a little more spark for Gonzaga with another two to go up 61-60.
Alex Barlow found a lane to the basket for a layup with 0:24 left and Butler in front 62-61. Barlow was the unlikely hero when then-unranked Butler upset then-#1 Indiana on December 15th.
The next trip down the floor for Gonzaga, Olynyk drove to the bucket, only to be fouled hard by Barlow. Olynyk sank two from the charity stripe to tie and then bump the Zags ahead 63-62 with just 4.6 seconds on the clock.
Near half court with 3.5 left, Barlow committed a traveling violation, giving the ball back to Gonzaga.
"I heard their coach saying to lob it to (Kelly) Olynyk, so I just played behind him, made the basketball play and got the steal," said Roosevelt Jones. " I looked at the clock and saw four seconds, so I knew I could get down court. I saw Olynyk come up to me and I floated over him."
Jones did just that. He saw the inbound from David Stockton and cushioned himself from Olynyk to steal the ball. Once Rose Jones stole the ball, there was no stopping him. He kept complete control, dribble-driving to the right side of the free throw line, pulling up from 13-feet. Floating a shot with 0.1 left, Jones' shot dropped through the net as time expired, giving #8 Butler its 13th consecutive win and third win over a top 10 team this season, 64-63 over #13 Gonzaga.
Three players dominated the scoring for Gonzaga (17-2). Sam Dower and Elias Harris each tallied team-highs of 20 points on a combined 16-25 from the floor. Kelly Olynyk also reached double-figures with 14.
Butler (16-2) limited Gonzaga to 29% from three (4-14) and shot 42% (8-19) themselves, Dunham and Chase Stigall got together to shoot 6-of-11 from outside-the-arc. The host Bulldogs shot 50% overall from the field (22-44) and outrebounded the Zags 28-26. It's probably a good thing that Butler was able to knock down shots when they needed to throughout the game, because they shot an uncharacteristic 12-for-23 from the free throw line.
Victorious Butler was led by Roosevelt Jones with 20 points, while also having five boards, four assists and his game-winning steal in the final seconds. Jones became Saturday's hero, despite the 7 turnovers he committed. Kellen Dunham dropped in 14 points, 12 from three-point land. Marshall finished with 8, Stigall and Andrew Smith with 7 each.
Butler continues their A-10 schedule with a trip to Philadelphia to face the LaSalle Explorers (12-5, 2-2 A-10) on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The Temple Owls (12-5, 2-2 A-10) make the trip from Philadelphia on Saturday for a 6 p.m. tip at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
#13 Butler overpowers Richmond in A-10 home opener
The Butler Bulldog defense set the tone early and never really let the visiting Richmond Spiders back into the game. In front of around 7,000 at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday, January 16, Butler ran away with their first Atlantic 10 conference home game and 12th straight win, 62-47.
Richmond was able to snag a very early 2-0 edge just 15 seconds into the contest, but Kellen Dunham knocked down a three-pointer to put the Bulldogs up 3-2 and they never looked back. Dunham got the nod to start at guard with Alex Barlow because of the injury to Rotnei Clarke on Saturday at Dayton. Clarke sat out against Richmond and will again on Saturday, January 19 when Butler hosts #8 Gonzaga at 9 p.m. on ESPN. ESPN's College Gameday is making historic Hinkle Fieldhouse its first destination of college basketball season.
Balanced scoring and rebounding was exactly what Butler needed to do and did, in order to makeup for the absence of Clarke (16.3 ppg.). Just as it happened following Clarke exiting Saturday's game at Dayton, the Bulldogs found a way to make it happen, no matter who put points on the scoreboard.
One of the biggest things that helped Butler absolutely dominate the Spiders for a full 40 minutes was how they took Richmond right out of the rebounding equation by the large margin of 53-20.
Outrebounding an opponent by an astounding 33 rebounds is a remarkable feat in, not just Division I basketball, but any level of basketball for that matter. Richmond was without 6'6 power forward Derrick Williams, who weighs in at a beefy 275 pounds. Williams recently sprained his ankle and did not dress for the Spiders.
Five consecutive points by Roosevelt Jones broke a 6-6 tie that would springboard he and his Bulldog teammates to cushion their lead to at least eight and as much as 20 (46-26) with 12:41 left.
After a decent start, the Spiders hit a cold streak by shooting 4-of-23 and found itself trailing 23-11 on Alex Barlow's jump shot with 5:27 left until halftime.
Spiders guard Deion Taylor helped get some of Richmond's sanity back by sticking with Butler during the final 4:33 of the first half with two three's, tying Butler 10-10 during that span, to trail 33-21.
Richmond fought back a little in the second half and made things a little interesting, getting things under 10 with 8:23 left, 50-41. Darien Brothers scored 10 of his team-high 12 points, but it wasn't enough to bring the Spiders back.
Butler was able to count on whoever stepped up on the hardwood to get the job done and produce a win. Finding depth might be one big key that the Bulldogs figured out in their first outing without starting guard Rotnei Clarke. Quality minutes were had by more than just the starting five, but off the bench by Kameron Woods, Erik Fromm, Chase Stigall, Jackson Aldridge and Andy Smeathers.
Skeptics across the country that might have thought Butler would struggle in the offensive department without sharp-shooting Rotnei Clarke. Some probably assumed that Butler was getting pretty anxious and looking ahead to Saturday's matchup with matchup with #8 Gonzaga on primetime television. Not at all.
"Our whole team was focused," said Stevens. "You can tell by the way we came out. These guys were ready for Richmond."
Spreading out the scoring was another thing that really threw Richmond right out of their defensive game plan. Andrew Smith led Butler and all scorers with a game-high 15 points and also snagged seven rebounds and dished out three assists. Smith was last week's A-10 conference Player of the Week and he proved enough that he deserved the accolade. Jones filled out his stat sheet pretty well, scoring 10 and ripping down 12 boards and had four assists.
Dunham finally got himself back into double-figure scoring with 11 points. Woods had another solid game with eight points and seven rebounds. Alex Barlow keeps proving why he starts at guard for Brad Stevens' squad. Barlow might have only scored five, but also had five rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes of action. Fromm and Smeathers each also pitched in five points. Khyle Marshall scored just three points and had five boards, but that allowed for the Bulldog bench to get minutes and show how they can provide depth.
Saturday's much-anticipated meeting with #8 Gonzaga (17-1) is one that basketball junkies have looked forward to. #13 Butler (15-2) and the visiting Bulldogs from Spokane, Washington, have both been known since the mid-1990's as "mid-majors" in the eyes of the media. They've both ditched that particular label in recent seasons. Gonzaga has been to 15 NCAA Tournaments, reaching the Sweet 16 five times. Butler, on the other hand, has upped the ante to their foes from the West Coast Conference. Butler almost won the National Championship in two consecutive seasons (2010 and 2011), shocking the college basketball world. Hinkle Fieldhouse will be packed to the gills Saturday!
Richmond was able to snag a very early 2-0 edge just 15 seconds into the contest, but Kellen Dunham knocked down a three-pointer to put the Bulldogs up 3-2 and they never looked back. Dunham got the nod to start at guard with Alex Barlow because of the injury to Rotnei Clarke on Saturday at Dayton. Clarke sat out against Richmond and will again on Saturday, January 19 when Butler hosts #8 Gonzaga at 9 p.m. on ESPN. ESPN's College Gameday is making historic Hinkle Fieldhouse its first destination of college basketball season.
Balanced scoring and rebounding was exactly what Butler needed to do and did, in order to makeup for the absence of Clarke (16.3 ppg.). Just as it happened following Clarke exiting Saturday's game at Dayton, the Bulldogs found a way to make it happen, no matter who put points on the scoreboard.
One of the biggest things that helped Butler absolutely dominate the Spiders for a full 40 minutes was how they took Richmond right out of the rebounding equation by the large margin of 53-20.
Outrebounding an opponent by an astounding 33 rebounds is a remarkable feat in, not just Division I basketball, but any level of basketball for that matter. Richmond was without 6'6 power forward Derrick Williams, who weighs in at a beefy 275 pounds. Williams recently sprained his ankle and did not dress for the Spiders.
Five consecutive points by Roosevelt Jones broke a 6-6 tie that would springboard he and his Bulldog teammates to cushion their lead to at least eight and as much as 20 (46-26) with 12:41 left.
After a decent start, the Spiders hit a cold streak by shooting 4-of-23 and found itself trailing 23-11 on Alex Barlow's jump shot with 5:27 left until halftime.
Spiders guard Deion Taylor helped get some of Richmond's sanity back by sticking with Butler during the final 4:33 of the first half with two three's, tying Butler 10-10 during that span, to trail 33-21.
Richmond fought back a little in the second half and made things a little interesting, getting things under 10 with 8:23 left, 50-41. Darien Brothers scored 10 of his team-high 12 points, but it wasn't enough to bring the Spiders back.
Butler was able to count on whoever stepped up on the hardwood to get the job done and produce a win. Finding depth might be one big key that the Bulldogs figured out in their first outing without starting guard Rotnei Clarke. Quality minutes were had by more than just the starting five, but off the bench by Kameron Woods, Erik Fromm, Chase Stigall, Jackson Aldridge and Andy Smeathers.
Skeptics across the country that might have thought Butler would struggle in the offensive department without sharp-shooting Rotnei Clarke. Some probably assumed that Butler was getting pretty anxious and looking ahead to Saturday's matchup with matchup with #8 Gonzaga on primetime television. Not at all.
"Our whole team was focused," said Stevens. "You can tell by the way we came out. These guys were ready for Richmond."
Spreading out the scoring was another thing that really threw Richmond right out of their defensive game plan. Andrew Smith led Butler and all scorers with a game-high 15 points and also snagged seven rebounds and dished out three assists. Smith was last week's A-10 conference Player of the Week and he proved enough that he deserved the accolade. Jones filled out his stat sheet pretty well, scoring 10 and ripping down 12 boards and had four assists.
Dunham finally got himself back into double-figure scoring with 11 points. Woods had another solid game with eight points and seven rebounds. Alex Barlow keeps proving why he starts at guard for Brad Stevens' squad. Barlow might have only scored five, but also had five rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes of action. Fromm and Smeathers each also pitched in five points. Khyle Marshall scored just three points and had five boards, but that allowed for the Bulldog bench to get minutes and show how they can provide depth.
Saturday's much-anticipated meeting with #8 Gonzaga (17-1) is one that basketball junkies have looked forward to. #13 Butler (15-2) and the visiting Bulldogs from Spokane, Washington, have both been known since the mid-1990's as "mid-majors" in the eyes of the media. They've both ditched that particular label in recent seasons. Gonzaga has been to 15 NCAA Tournaments, reaching the Sweet 16 five times. Butler, on the other hand, has upped the ante to their foes from the West Coast Conference. Butler almost won the National Championship in two consecutive seasons (2010 and 2011), shocking the college basketball world. Hinkle Fieldhouse will be packed to the gills Saturday!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
#14 Butler wins 11th straight, loses Clarke to injury
It seemed like a typical college basketball Saturday and #14 Butler would extend its winning streak to 11 games without blinking an eye at the Dayton Flyers. In a perfect world, it would be just that simple.
Four ties and three lead changes took the Bulldogs and host Flyers back-and-forth through the first 11:30 of the first half. Khyle Marshall received a pass from Rotnei Clarke that Marshall slam dunked, giving the Bulldogs an 18-16 lead that they wouldn't give up the rest of the game.
Dayton's Matt Derenbecker turned the ball back over to Butler on a steal by Clarke on the ensuing possession. In frustration, Derenbecker chased down Clarke on his drive to the basket at the other end and was charged with an intentional foul on Clarke's layup attempt. Play was stopped at the 8:13 mark of the first half for nearly eight minutes because Rotnei Clarke was fouled hard enough by Derenbecker that he landed awkwardly on his head and left shoulder against the backboard support padding. It was a good sign that Rotnei was able to move his arms and legs before leaving the University of Dayton Arena. Clarke was taken off the court on a flat board and stretcher, then taken to a local hospital in Dayton.
Clarke was cleared hours later to make the trip back to Indianapolis with his teammates.
Then, it was gut check time for Butler. Who was going to step up in Clarke's place in the scoring column? That would be the biggest question that the Butler coaching staff would get the answer too rather shortly.
Butler wasn't phased in the least bit without their leading scorer on the floor. After Clarke went down, the Bulldogs took off on a 13-4 run for a 31-20 lead when Dayton was forced to take a :30 timeout with 4:56 left in the half.
The average fan was probably real curious who would take the shots that Clarke normally would take. Not to worry.
The Bulldogs took an eight-point lead at 35-27 into the half.
Kellen Dunham opened up the second half with a three to extend Butler to a 38-30 advantage. The visiting Bulldogs would push away the Flyers the rest of the way. Their lead would never get bigger than 44-30, but it was enough to keep a comfortable enough cushion. Dayton cut the deficit to five at 61-56, but despite outscoring Butler in the second half 46-44, Butler managed to hold off UD just enough over the final 6:37 en route to a 79-73 road victory.
It was the three-headed monster of a frontcourt of trio Andrew Smith, Roosevelt Jones and Khyle Marshall that held off Dayton. There was a void to be filled in the scoring offense of Butler and it didn't matter how it happened, but Butler was going to make up for Rotnei Clarke's 17 points per game.
Resembling his take-over in the Indiana game, Jones led all scorers with a game-high 16 points and seven rebounds on 4-8 shooting, including 8-12 from the free throw line. Smith had a well-balanced game with 13 points, four boards and also dished out four assists to tie for the team lead with Jones. Marshall wound up with 12 points on 4-6 field goals and shockingly was without a rebound, who averages 5.6 per outing.
A total team effort following Rotnei Clarke's injury, Butler showed complete poise. With Jones, Smith and Marshall combining for just over half of the Bulldogs' 79 points (41), Butler got eight from Dunham and seven from Erik Fromm off the bench. Prior to his injury, Clarke had scored five, along with two assists and a pair of steals. Alex Barlow and Chase Stigall did their part with six points a piece.
Dayton did manage to get four players in double-figures. Vee Sanford and Dyshawn Pierre led the Flyers with 14 each. Kevin Dillard had 13 and Khari Price with 10.
Dayton was held to 39% field goals (25-63) and just 37% on 3's (7-19). Butler burned the nets for 58% (25-43) shooting and 54% on 3's (7-13). UD won the rebound battle 40-26, but with Butler's stellar shooting, it didn't matter.
Butler (14-2, 2-0 A-10) returns home this week for two home games. Wednesday, January 16, the Bulldogs host the Richmond Spiders (11-6, 1-1 A-10) at 7 p.m. ESPN's College Gameday comes to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday, January 19 for a 9 p.m. tip against #9 Gonzaga (15-1).
Four ties and three lead changes took the Bulldogs and host Flyers back-and-forth through the first 11:30 of the first half. Khyle Marshall received a pass from Rotnei Clarke that Marshall slam dunked, giving the Bulldogs an 18-16 lead that they wouldn't give up the rest of the game.
Dayton's Matt Derenbecker turned the ball back over to Butler on a steal by Clarke on the ensuing possession. In frustration, Derenbecker chased down Clarke on his drive to the basket at the other end and was charged with an intentional foul on Clarke's layup attempt. Play was stopped at the 8:13 mark of the first half for nearly eight minutes because Rotnei Clarke was fouled hard enough by Derenbecker that he landed awkwardly on his head and left shoulder against the backboard support padding. It was a good sign that Rotnei was able to move his arms and legs before leaving the University of Dayton Arena. Clarke was taken off the court on a flat board and stretcher, then taken to a local hospital in Dayton.
Clarke was cleared hours later to make the trip back to Indianapolis with his teammates.
Then, it was gut check time for Butler. Who was going to step up in Clarke's place in the scoring column? That would be the biggest question that the Butler coaching staff would get the answer too rather shortly.
Butler wasn't phased in the least bit without their leading scorer on the floor. After Clarke went down, the Bulldogs took off on a 13-4 run for a 31-20 lead when Dayton was forced to take a :30 timeout with 4:56 left in the half.
The average fan was probably real curious who would take the shots that Clarke normally would take. Not to worry.
The Bulldogs took an eight-point lead at 35-27 into the half.
Kellen Dunham opened up the second half with a three to extend Butler to a 38-30 advantage. The visiting Bulldogs would push away the Flyers the rest of the way. Their lead would never get bigger than 44-30, but it was enough to keep a comfortable enough cushion. Dayton cut the deficit to five at 61-56, but despite outscoring Butler in the second half 46-44, Butler managed to hold off UD just enough over the final 6:37 en route to a 79-73 road victory.
It was the three-headed monster of a frontcourt of trio Andrew Smith, Roosevelt Jones and Khyle Marshall that held off Dayton. There was a void to be filled in the scoring offense of Butler and it didn't matter how it happened, but Butler was going to make up for Rotnei Clarke's 17 points per game.
Resembling his take-over in the Indiana game, Jones led all scorers with a game-high 16 points and seven rebounds on 4-8 shooting, including 8-12 from the free throw line. Smith had a well-balanced game with 13 points, four boards and also dished out four assists to tie for the team lead with Jones. Marshall wound up with 12 points on 4-6 field goals and shockingly was without a rebound, who averages 5.6 per outing.
A total team effort following Rotnei Clarke's injury, Butler showed complete poise. With Jones, Smith and Marshall combining for just over half of the Bulldogs' 79 points (41), Butler got eight from Dunham and seven from Erik Fromm off the bench. Prior to his injury, Clarke had scored five, along with two assists and a pair of steals. Alex Barlow and Chase Stigall did their part with six points a piece.
Dayton did manage to get four players in double-figures. Vee Sanford and Dyshawn Pierre led the Flyers with 14 each. Kevin Dillard had 13 and Khari Price with 10.
Dayton was held to 39% field goals (25-63) and just 37% on 3's (7-19). Butler burned the nets for 58% (25-43) shooting and 54% on 3's (7-13). UD won the rebound battle 40-26, but with Butler's stellar shooting, it didn't matter.
Butler (14-2, 2-0 A-10) returns home this week for two home games. Wednesday, January 16, the Bulldogs host the Richmond Spiders (11-6, 1-1 A-10) at 7 p.m. ESPN's College Gameday comes to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday, January 19 for a 9 p.m. tip against #9 Gonzaga (15-1).
Saturday, January 12, 2013
#14 Butler wins A-10 opener at St. Joe's
Just when it was needed the most, Butler's senior leadership came shining through at the right time. They hit the road Wednesday night (January 9) to Saint Joseph's in Philadelphia for their first conference game as members of the Atlantic 10. That senior leadership showed up bright in guard Rotnei Clarke and center Andrew Smith, who combined for 52 points as a huge part of the Bulldogs' 72-66 come-from-behind victory over the Owls.
Clarke had only combined to score 10 points in Butler's two tune-up games at home against Penn and New Orleans. He for sure got away from the shooting woes that haunted his offensive game by knocking down 6-of-10 from three-point range and 10-for-22 on his overall field goal attempts to lead all scorers with a game-high 28 points.
Smith got back to what he's capable of putting out. The 6'11 senior center poured in 24 points and 10 rebounds on 8-for-15 shooting, while nailing 7-of-7 from the free throw line.
St. Joe's had control of the game for a good part of the first half, defending their home floor well. Four straight Khyle Marshall points and a three by Clark and Butler found itself in the lead for the first time in the game, 25-22, with 8:20 left in the first half.
The Owls kept ahold the rest of the first half, outscoring Butler 18-10 to take a 40-35 lead at halftime. Ronald Roberts scored nine of his 12 points in the first half to get St. Joe's to that five-point lead at the break.
The second half started out as a back-and-forth affair. With 7:42 left in the game, Rotnei Clarke drilled a three to put Butler up 57-56, a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
From that point on, the Bulldogs showed why they're ranked 14th in the country and ran off kept St. Joe's at just enough distance on a 13-10 run over the final seven minutes to hold on for a 72-66 road win.
The St. Joe's frontcourt of CJ Aiken and Ronald Roberts got together for 25 points, 16 rebounds and 7 blocked shots. The Owls' backcourt of Langston Galloway, Chris Wilson and Carl Jones tallied 33 points as a unit, but none of this was enough to hold off the offensive firepower that Butler brought.
Despite his production lately and his normally consistent shooting, Kellen Dunham saw just 17 minutes off the bench and had just one three-pointer to his credit. Sometimes, its just instinct that players know exactly what role to play in particular games.
Aside from Clarke and Smith's stellar combination, spreading out the rest of the offense worked out perfectly in the Butler Bulldogs' first Atlantic 10 conference game.
Khyle Marshall was his usually gritty defender and aggressive on the offensive end with eight points and eight rebounds. Roosevelt Jones chipped right in with four points, five boards and six assists. Starting point guard Alex Barlow filled up his part of the box score as well with three points, three rebounds, four assists and a few steals to his line.
Shooting 9-of-19 (47%) from outside the three-point arc and 75% from the charity stripe were the biggest factors that got Butler going down-the-stretch. It also helped that they only turned the ball over five times.
St. Joe's kept itself within striking distance with 10-25 three-point shooting and 14-18 (78%).
An epic opening to Butler's Atlantic 10 conference play is just the beginning of how this season will go. Before last night's game at St. Joe's, nine A-10 teams had reached the 10-win plateau. Only time will tell, but the A-10 might get as many as seven bids to the NCAA Tournament in March.
Butler (13-2, 1-0) continues this short conference road trip this Saturday as they head to Dayton (10-5, 0-1), who lost their A-10 opener last night at VCU (13-3, 1-0), 74-62.
Clarke had only combined to score 10 points in Butler's two tune-up games at home against Penn and New Orleans. He for sure got away from the shooting woes that haunted his offensive game by knocking down 6-of-10 from three-point range and 10-for-22 on his overall field goal attempts to lead all scorers with a game-high 28 points.
Smith got back to what he's capable of putting out. The 6'11 senior center poured in 24 points and 10 rebounds on 8-for-15 shooting, while nailing 7-of-7 from the free throw line.
St. Joe's had control of the game for a good part of the first half, defending their home floor well. Four straight Khyle Marshall points and a three by Clark and Butler found itself in the lead for the first time in the game, 25-22, with 8:20 left in the first half.
The Owls kept ahold the rest of the first half, outscoring Butler 18-10 to take a 40-35 lead at halftime. Ronald Roberts scored nine of his 12 points in the first half to get St. Joe's to that five-point lead at the break.
The second half started out as a back-and-forth affair. With 7:42 left in the game, Rotnei Clarke drilled a three to put Butler up 57-56, a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
From that point on, the Bulldogs showed why they're ranked 14th in the country and ran off kept St. Joe's at just enough distance on a 13-10 run over the final seven minutes to hold on for a 72-66 road win.
The St. Joe's frontcourt of CJ Aiken and Ronald Roberts got together for 25 points, 16 rebounds and 7 blocked shots. The Owls' backcourt of Langston Galloway, Chris Wilson and Carl Jones tallied 33 points as a unit, but none of this was enough to hold off the offensive firepower that Butler brought.
Despite his production lately and his normally consistent shooting, Kellen Dunham saw just 17 minutes off the bench and had just one three-pointer to his credit. Sometimes, its just instinct that players know exactly what role to play in particular games.
Aside from Clarke and Smith's stellar combination, spreading out the rest of the offense worked out perfectly in the Butler Bulldogs' first Atlantic 10 conference game.
Khyle Marshall was his usually gritty defender and aggressive on the offensive end with eight points and eight rebounds. Roosevelt Jones chipped right in with four points, five boards and six assists. Starting point guard Alex Barlow filled up his part of the box score as well with three points, three rebounds, four assists and a few steals to his line.
Shooting 9-of-19 (47%) from outside the three-point arc and 75% from the charity stripe were the biggest factors that got Butler going down-the-stretch. It also helped that they only turned the ball over five times.
St. Joe's kept itself within striking distance with 10-25 three-point shooting and 14-18 (78%).
An epic opening to Butler's Atlantic 10 conference play is just the beginning of how this season will go. Before last night's game at St. Joe's, nine A-10 teams had reached the 10-win plateau. Only time will tell, but the A-10 might get as many as seven bids to the NCAA Tournament in March.
Butler (13-2, 1-0) continues this short conference road trip this Saturday as they head to Dayton (10-5, 0-1), who lost their A-10 opener last night at VCU (13-3, 1-0), 74-62.
#14 Butler heads into A-10 play winning nine straight
Jones nets 24 as #17 Butler wins 8th in a row
Just as he did against then-#1 ranked Indiana in mid-December, Roosevelt Jones took a great opportunity and ran with it for an entire game. He put his Bulldog teammates on his back and led them to a victory. Jones led all scorers with 24 points, 15 coming in the first half, en route to a 70-57 Butler Bulldog win over the Pennsylvania Quakers to ring in the new year on Wednesday, January 2.
The visiting Quakers from the Ivy League stayed at just a slight distance, making the Bulldogs work for the win, even though they were double-digit winners. With a team in Penn that came into the game with just two wins, it was assumed that Butler would dominate this game pretty handedly. That obviously wasn't the case.
Leading just 35-29 at halftime, the Bulldogs knew they had their work cut out for them in the final 20 minutes. This biggest thing that Pennsylvania can say they accomplished in their trip to Butler was that they were able to hold high-scoring guard Rotnei Clark in-check and well below his season average (18.1) with just six points in his 29 minutes of action.
Penn stayed close and trailed by just a 52-49 margin with just under nine left in the contest. The Bulldogs forced a chunk of the Quakers' 19 turnovers down the stretch to help propel them on an 18-8 run to close out visiting Pennsylvania (2-10) and win their eight game in a row, 70-57.
Butler found itself shooting an uncharacteristic 4-of-19 from three-point range and allowed Penn to knock down 8-of-15, which obviously kept the Quakers within striking distance throughout most of the game. The Bulldogs controlled the boards by outrebounding Pennsylvania 36-21, which helped Butler keep control of the game.
Pennsylvania spread out their scoring, but the Quakers were only able to get two in double-figures, Miles Cartwright with 15 and Tony Hicks 10.
The Bulldogs (11-2) got a trio into double-digit scoring, but with their offense so spread out, but really didn't matter. Jones had a game-high 24, Khyle Marshall with 14 and freshman Kellen Dunham added 10.
#17 Bulldogs roll to ninth straight with win over New Orleans
Whenever the Butler Bulldogs play an opponent that they're expected to blow out, they've tended to make it more of a challenge to win. The New Orleans Privateers gave Butler more of a game on Saturday, January 5 at Hinkle Fieldhouse than the 7,000-plus in attendance really hoped.
New Orleans made their trip to Indianapolis to face Butler with just three wins to their credit on the season.
The game started with neither squad shooting well at all. Very little scoring and a whole lot of turnovers provided fans with just a 9-9 tie with just 7:40 left until halftime.
A Kellen Dunham trey and Andrew Smith layup gave Butler 13-11 and 15-13 leads, respectively. Smith and Khyle Marshall combined for nine points, igniting a 9-3 Bulldog run to end the first half and give Butler a 24-18 lead at the break.
The Bulldogs opened the second half on a 14-7 run in the first seven minutes. Lovell Cook made the mistake of fouling Dunham on a three-point attempt, which he sank, and the freshman then completed the four-point play with a free throw, putting Butler up 38-25 with 12:59 left.
There were a few instances in the second half that the Privateers closed the gap to eight or nine points. But, that's the closest that New Orleans would get, as Butler would pull away enough for a second straight 13-point victory for their ninth consecutive win overall.
Lovell Cook led New Orleans (3-10) with 11 points and Traddarius McPherson added 10 for the Privateers.
Dunham led all scorers and the Butler Bulldogs (12-2) with a game-high 15 points, while Marshall had 13 and Roosevelt Jones finished with 11.
January schedule...and a pre-conference look at the Atlantic 10
The #14 ranked Butler Bulldogs enter the second week of January ready for their first Atlantic 10 matchups with a 12-2 overall record. Winning nine straight games, a newcomer to the A-10, Butler will look to make its impression right away.
They'll have quite the challenge, as they are one of nine with 10-plus wins before A-10 play starts, which will make things extremely exciting for the next couple months of the regular season.
Butler opens play on Wednesday, January 9 on the road at Saint Joseph's (8-4) at 7 p.m. Continuing their short road trip to start conference play, the Bulldogs come back through Ohio and play the Dayton Flyers (9-4) on Saturday, January 12 at 2 p.m. Hinkle Fieldhouse will get its first taste of Atlantic 10 basketball when the Richmond Spiders (10-5) visit next Wednesday, January 16 for a 7 p.m. tip. ESPN's College Gameday will set up shop at Hinkle on Saturday, January 19 for a 9 p.m. showdown with highly ranked Gonzaga (14-1). Butler takes a midweek trip to Philadelphia to meet up with the LaSalle Explorers (10-3) on Wednesday, January 23 at 7 p.m. The Temple Owls (10-2) will bring their high-speed attack to Indianapolis on Saturday, January 23 at 6 p.m. January's schedule doesn't really wind down, but escalates with a trip to St. Louis to face the Billikens (11-3) on Thursday, January 31 at 9 p.m.
How the Atlantic 10 looks prior to conference play...
Butler 12-2
Charlotte 12-2
VCU 12-3
Saint Louis 11-3
LaSalle 10-3
UMass 10-3
Temple 10-3
Dayton 10-4
Richmond 10-5
St. Joe's 8-4
Xavier 7-6
St. Bonaventure 7-6
Duquesne 7-7
George Washington 6-7
Rhode Island 5-8
Fordham 4-11
Just as he did against then-#1 ranked Indiana in mid-December, Roosevelt Jones took a great opportunity and ran with it for an entire game. He put his Bulldog teammates on his back and led them to a victory. Jones led all scorers with 24 points, 15 coming in the first half, en route to a 70-57 Butler Bulldog win over the Pennsylvania Quakers to ring in the new year on Wednesday, January 2.
The visiting Quakers from the Ivy League stayed at just a slight distance, making the Bulldogs work for the win, even though they were double-digit winners. With a team in Penn that came into the game with just two wins, it was assumed that Butler would dominate this game pretty handedly. That obviously wasn't the case.
Leading just 35-29 at halftime, the Bulldogs knew they had their work cut out for them in the final 20 minutes. This biggest thing that Pennsylvania can say they accomplished in their trip to Butler was that they were able to hold high-scoring guard Rotnei Clark in-check and well below his season average (18.1) with just six points in his 29 minutes of action.
Penn stayed close and trailed by just a 52-49 margin with just under nine left in the contest. The Bulldogs forced a chunk of the Quakers' 19 turnovers down the stretch to help propel them on an 18-8 run to close out visiting Pennsylvania (2-10) and win their eight game in a row, 70-57.
Butler found itself shooting an uncharacteristic 4-of-19 from three-point range and allowed Penn to knock down 8-of-15, which obviously kept the Quakers within striking distance throughout most of the game. The Bulldogs controlled the boards by outrebounding Pennsylvania 36-21, which helped Butler keep control of the game.
Pennsylvania spread out their scoring, but the Quakers were only able to get two in double-figures, Miles Cartwright with 15 and Tony Hicks 10.
The Bulldogs (11-2) got a trio into double-digit scoring, but with their offense so spread out, but really didn't matter. Jones had a game-high 24, Khyle Marshall with 14 and freshman Kellen Dunham added 10.
#17 Bulldogs roll to ninth straight with win over New Orleans
Whenever the Butler Bulldogs play an opponent that they're expected to blow out, they've tended to make it more of a challenge to win. The New Orleans Privateers gave Butler more of a game on Saturday, January 5 at Hinkle Fieldhouse than the 7,000-plus in attendance really hoped.
New Orleans made their trip to Indianapolis to face Butler with just three wins to their credit on the season.
The game started with neither squad shooting well at all. Very little scoring and a whole lot of turnovers provided fans with just a 9-9 tie with just 7:40 left until halftime.
A Kellen Dunham trey and Andrew Smith layup gave Butler 13-11 and 15-13 leads, respectively. Smith and Khyle Marshall combined for nine points, igniting a 9-3 Bulldog run to end the first half and give Butler a 24-18 lead at the break.
The Bulldogs opened the second half on a 14-7 run in the first seven minutes. Lovell Cook made the mistake of fouling Dunham on a three-point attempt, which he sank, and the freshman then completed the four-point play with a free throw, putting Butler up 38-25 with 12:59 left.
There were a few instances in the second half that the Privateers closed the gap to eight or nine points. But, that's the closest that New Orleans would get, as Butler would pull away enough for a second straight 13-point victory for their ninth consecutive win overall.
Lovell Cook led New Orleans (3-10) with 11 points and Traddarius McPherson added 10 for the Privateers.
Dunham led all scorers and the Butler Bulldogs (12-2) with a game-high 15 points, while Marshall had 13 and Roosevelt Jones finished with 11.
January schedule...and a pre-conference look at the Atlantic 10
The #14 ranked Butler Bulldogs enter the second week of January ready for their first Atlantic 10 matchups with a 12-2 overall record. Winning nine straight games, a newcomer to the A-10, Butler will look to make its impression right away.
They'll have quite the challenge, as they are one of nine with 10-plus wins before A-10 play starts, which will make things extremely exciting for the next couple months of the regular season.
Butler opens play on Wednesday, January 9 on the road at Saint Joseph's (8-4) at 7 p.m. Continuing their short road trip to start conference play, the Bulldogs come back through Ohio and play the Dayton Flyers (9-4) on Saturday, January 12 at 2 p.m. Hinkle Fieldhouse will get its first taste of Atlantic 10 basketball when the Richmond Spiders (10-5) visit next Wednesday, January 16 for a 7 p.m. tip. ESPN's College Gameday will set up shop at Hinkle on Saturday, January 19 for a 9 p.m. showdown with highly ranked Gonzaga (14-1). Butler takes a midweek trip to Philadelphia to meet up with the LaSalle Explorers (10-3) on Wednesday, January 23 at 7 p.m. The Temple Owls (10-2) will bring their high-speed attack to Indianapolis on Saturday, January 23 at 6 p.m. January's schedule doesn't really wind down, but escalates with a trip to St. Louis to face the Billikens (11-3) on Thursday, January 31 at 9 p.m.
How the Atlantic 10 looks prior to conference play...
Butler 12-2
Charlotte 12-2
VCU 12-3
Saint Louis 11-3
LaSalle 10-3
UMass 10-3
Temple 10-3
Dayton 10-4
Richmond 10-5
St. Joe's 8-4
Xavier 7-6
St. Bonaventure 7-6
Duquesne 7-7
George Washington 6-7
Rhode Island 5-8
Fordham 4-11
Monday, December 31, 2012
#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.
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.
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!
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