Guess Who's Back?

I remember watching the Butler Bulldogs in January/February and did not think much of them.  I also paid attention to them getting bounced twice by UW-Milwaukee. Furthermore, I laughed when the Dawgs got an 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, I had to put on the clown suit when Butler ended up in the Sweet 16 for the third time in the last five years.



I got the feeling we were in for something special on Saturday night when the Bulldogs hit a multitude of threes in the first half. It was a recipe for an upset with Jamie Dixon's inability to coach in March, and Brad Stevens being the proverbial Gordan Bombay of the college basketball world. A rising star who has built a name for himself in post season play. Butler's whole team outhustled Pittsburgh down to the last play of the game.

While Shelvin Mack made a dumb shit play on Gilbert Brown,  Nasir Robinson made the one we will all remember.  Matt Howard awareness that Robinson's hack would be a foul at any other point of the game was a great show of his basketball IQ. I commend the refs for making the right call no matter how little time was left. Also, Dixon should have told his players to stay away from the free throw line because nothing good could come from trying to rebound a Gilbert Brown miss.

Howard and Mack were both unsung heroes in last year's Final Four run.  People forgot those guys because Gordon Hayward was that good of a college player. Howard seems to be everywhere on the court whenever Butler plays. He can step out and hit the three then crash for the offensive rebound. Howard is the type of player coaches say, 'I want 5 Matt Howards.'  Some might argue Mack had a hand into Butler's struggles with performances like 1 of 9, and a couple 1 of 7s from three point land.  Mack does not see a three he doesn't like, sometimes that's a bad thing, but in the NCAA Tournament, that can be the difference.  Mack is the spark plug that opposing teams do not want started up in the post season.

Anyway you cut it, Butler has become the new Gonzaga. They are the mid-major you will now look for in the four regions and hope to God, you do not see them with your favorite team. No one has figured this team out and until they do, Butler will be a real problem.

-Charlie.