Game Recap: Butler vs. Marian (Exhibition)

Since I do not live in the Indianapolis-TV Market area, if Butler's game is not on a nationally televised network (or CBSSports Network), my only analysis can come from a box score, which never does tell the whole story.  Nonetheless, he is my first Butler Bulldogs game recap.

Positives
1. Andrew Smeathers: I had quickly pegged Smeathers at the bottom of the depth chart based on offseason hip surgery and his ineffective play last year.  However, Smeathers looked good on the court today 3-4 on threes, and hustle plays on defense according to IndyStar writer David Woods.  He still has the opportunity to earn some minutes in the rotation this season.
2. Kellen Dunham: Dunham could also fix Butler's three point shooting woes from a year ago, going 4-6 this afternoon on threes.  It was good to see that he didn't have any first game jitters, and was able to go out and execute.
3. Defense: I don't care who you play against, but 40 points is getting it done on the defensive end.  The Bulldogs held Marian to 34% shooting.

Negatives
1. Andrew Smith:  He only played 14 minutes, and did not have a field goal.  I was hoping he would be more consistent this season, but this is not a good sign.  It is just an exhibition game, so don't get too worried.
2. Roosevelt Jones:  Only 3 points, but 1 of 5 from the free throw line.  He needed to improve on his free throw shooting this offseason and it doesn't look like it has happened so far.
3.  Only 11 2-point baskets made: This speaks Butler's inability for post players to convert.  Outside of Khyle Marshall, none of the bigs looked impressive on the offensive end.

Overall
While Chrishawn Hopkins' absence was clearly noticable on the offensive end, with Butler only scoring 62 points, the tremendous defense played by the Bulldogs gives me optimism that this could be a team that wins close games down the stretch.  If Butler's bigs can be more effective on offense, Butler could still be a great team in the Atlantic 10.

Chrishawn Hopkins "Taking his Talents" to Wright State

Taking my Talents

I didn't like it when LeBron James said it about South Beach in July 2010.  I especially don't like that former Butler guard Chrishawn Hopkins used the phrase, which he tweeted today on his account, twitter.com/hops2010 :

Taking my talents to Dayton Ohio to join the Wright State Raiders

I was surprised that he was staying in the Horizon League, but I was also surprised that his recent dismissal from Butler hasn't humbled him enough so that he would refrain from using the phrase, "Taking my Talents."  While Hopkins had his ups last year, he certainly had his downs, including a four game stretch in December where he played a total of 23 minutes and scored 5 total points.  He was inconsistent all year for Butler, and it is not as though high-major college basketball programs were begging Hopkins to come to their school.  Wright State, picked last in the Horizon League preseason poll, is on a downward trend.  So he may be "taking his talents" to another school, but it is to one that is significantly worse than Butler.  As desperate as Wright State head coach Billy Donlon may be to put the Raiders back on the map, the will not even have Hopkins' "talents" until January 2014.

Two main things I learned from Hopkins' tweet above:

1. Hopkins has not been humbled by his dismissal from Butler University and his inconsistent play for a majority of last season.  Boastful statements like "taking my talents" illustrate his character, and why he does not truly fit The Butler Way.
2. He is going to a basketball program that really needs his help, but he will have to stay disciplined and out of trouble for the next year and a half to even get that chance.  

Best Foreshadowing/Bold Prediction Ever?

I found this article in David Woods' IndyStar Blog Archive.  This article is from February 2010 written after a come from behind home victory against Loyola.

http://blogs.indystar.com/butler/2010/02/08/bench-helps-dawgs-overcome-cold-start/

"I see Chase Stigall becoming a major contributor, perhaps as early as next season and maybe even as a starter."

This could not have been a more accurate prediction, and an excellent one, considering that Chase Stigall averaged 0.7 points per game and 3.1 minutes per game as a Freshman, rarely seeing non-garbage time minutes.  Not only did Stigall become part of the regular rotation the following season, but started every game down the stretch of Butler's second Final Four run in 2011.  This is why Woods does what he does, because he is a great evaluator of Butler's players.  Most Butler fans probably had not even heard of Chase Stigall in February 2010.  Next time David Woods makes a bold prediction about the Bulldogs that you might not agree with, listen to it, since there is a good chance that the prediction will one day become a reality.

Butler Basketball Alumni Update

Here are all the former Butler Bulldogs who are playing professional basketball for 2012-13.  All info is courtesy of eurobasket.com and NBA.com.  The years in parenthesis represent the years that the player played for Butler.

Matt Howard (2007-2011)
Team: Chorale de Roanne Basket
League: France-ProA
Team Website: http://www.eurobasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=FRA&Team=417

Pete Campbell (2006-2008)
Team: SAM BASKET MASSAGNO
League: Switzerland-LNA
Team Website: http://www.eurobasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=SUI&Team=1428

Mike Green (2006-2008)
Team: CIMBERIO VARESE 
League: Italy-SerieA
Team Website: http://www.eurobasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=ITA&Team=88

Avery Jukes (2007-2010)
Team: YDRA ASFALISTIKI ENAD AGIOS DOMETIOS
League: Cyprus-Division A
Team Website: http://www.eurobasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=Cyprus&Team=351&Page=0

Gordon Hayward (2008-2010)
Team: Utah Jazz
League: NBA
Team Website: http://www.nba.com/jazz/

Shelvin Mack (2008-2011)
Team: Washington Wizards
League: NBA
Team Website: http://www.nba.com/wizards/

You can follow each player all season long by going to their team's website.  I apologize if I have missed any players who are currently playing professional basketball.  This post is subject to addition/alteration if these players sign with another team, or an additional player is signed to a professional contract.

Brad Stevens Podcasts; Butler Picked 6th

Brad Stevens on Tim Brando Show: http://www.yahoosportsradio.com/college-basketball/brad-stevens-gaining-from-the-perimeter-in-preparations-for-the-a-10-35623/

Brad Stevens at A-10 Media Day, speaking with ESPN's Andy Katz: http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8462539 (starting at 22:45 mark of podcast)

At Atlantic 10 Media Day, the Butler Bulldogs were picked 6th in the pre-season poll.  Rotnei Clarke was on the preseason Second Team, Roosevelt Jones was on the All-Defensive Team, and Kellen Dunham is on the All-Newcomer Team.

While I was initially surprised the Bulldogs were picked as low as 6th, I realized that that would have been higher a few weeks ago before Chrishawn Hopkins got dismissed from Butler University.

Stevens has emphasized how Rotnei Clarke is not just a shooter, Andrew Smith is in the best shape of his life, Khyle Marshall had the best summer ever at Butler, and Kameron Woods is flying under the radar.  He also emphasized the importance of scheduling strength, as that is how you really find out what team you are.

Top 10 Bulldogs from last 10 Seasons

With the official start of practice still a couple of weeks away, I thought an interesting post would be one ranking the best Butler players over the last 10 years (2002-03 through 2011-12).  One important thing to remember is that this ranking is based on performance at Butler, not success at the professional level.  However, the teams success factors in somewhat to the rankings.  Here is the list.

1. Gordon Hayward, 2008-2010
2. Matt Howard 2007-2011
3. A.J. Graves, 2004-2008
4. Shelvin Mack, 2008-2011
5. Mike Green, 2006-2008
6. Brandon Polk, 2004-2006
7. Ronald Nored, 2008-2012
8. Brandon Miller, 2000-2003
9. Bruce Horan, 2002-2006
10. Pete Campbell, 2006-2008


Analysis: Some may think Shelvin Mack was ranked too low, but remember, at no point in his Butler career was he considered the best player on the roster, and he never led Butler in scoring.  Also, I was thinking about putting Willie Veasley at #10 instead of Campbell, but Campbell did more for the Bulldogs offensively in a shorter period of time, and was hit more clutch baskets than Veasley did in his career (save the Syracuse game).  Plus, I didn't seem right putting to primarily defensive players (Nored and Veasley) on this list together.  Andrew Smith could make this list eventually if he had a HUGE senior season.    While some may disagree on the order, I think I pretty fairly judged which guys would be in the top 10.