Men's Basketball Preview, Part 10: Butler
Nov. 4, 2007
In a span of less than two months last year, Butler basketball was transformed from the forgotten to the formidable.
The Bulldogs were picked to finish sixth in the nine-team Horizon League preseason poll (one voter picked Butler last) released on Oct. 10. That sentiment pretty much mirrored the evaluation reported in most of the major college basketball preseason publications.
That's why there was considerable "head-scratching" in the college basketball world when the Bulldogs stood at center court at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 24 and collected the NIT Season Tip-Off Championship trophy. The moment capped a run that saw Butler post consecutive victories over Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee and Gonzaga - all "Top 25" programs.
Butler went on to post a school and Horizon League record 29-7 campaign, a co-championship in the Horizon League regular season race and a trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. Along the way, the Bulldogs were ranked in the "Top 25" of the national basketball polls for a school and league record 16 consecutive weeks.
The squad's tremendous success ultimately cost Butler its head coach - Todd Lickliter was named coach at the University of Iowa one day after the Final Four. And two starters - 6-6 forward Brandon Crone and 6-7 forward Brian Ligon - were among three seniors who collected their diploma last May.
Butler moved quickly to replace Lickliter, naming assistant coach Brad Stevens to the top job just three days after it opened. Replacing the seniors could take longer.
"Those guys brought so much to the table beyond the stat line," said Stevens of Crone, Ligon and Marcus Nellems.
"They were often the players who made the play that led to the big play. They were the ones who would block out, so someone else could get a rebound. They would set the screen that would free a teammate for an open shot or pass. They were completely selfless, and that was contagious."
On the plus side, Stevens won't have a shortage of talent in 2007-08. The Bulldogs return five of their top six scorers from last season, including All-Horizon League guards A. J. Graves and Mike Green.
Graves emerged as one of the premier backcourt players in the nation in 2006-07. The 6-1 guard led the Bulldogs in scoring with a 16.9 average, while posting the fourth-highest single season point total (591) ever by a Butler junior. He earned honorable mention All-America honors and was named a first team Academic All-American. He was selected MVP of the NIT Season Tip-Off, earned first team All-League and All-District 10 honors and became the 31st player in Butler history to reach 1,000 points in career scoring.
Green, who transferred to Butler from Towson, was named Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, after leading the Bulldogs in assists (4.0) and rebounds (6.0) and finishing second on the squad in scoring (13.9). He became the first player in Butler history to record over 400 points, 200 rebounds and 100 assists in the same season. The 6-0 guard was named second team All-League and All-District 10.
The Butler backcourt duo has been ranked among the best backcourts in the nation by several preseason publications."I don't know about rankings, but I do know that I wouldn't trade them for anything," stated Stevens. "It's not because of the kind of players they are, and they're both terrific players. It's because of the kind of people they are. The thing that's important to them is to be part of a special team, and they'll do what it takes to achieve that."
"They're very complimentary in their skill set, and that's made them even better. I think both would tell you they're a better player today because of the guy beside them."
The two stellar guards will be joined by 6-5 returning starter Julian Betko, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. Betko tied a Butler single season record by starting all 36 games a year ago, and he finished as the team's fifth-leading scorer (4.3). He was named to the All-Tournament Team at the NIT Season Tip-Off.
Rounding out Butler's strong and deep senior class are 6-7 Pete Campbell and 6-7 Drew Streicher. Campbell, a transfer from IPFW, wound up as Butler's fourth-leading scorer (9.1), and he was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team. He led the league in three-point field goal shooting with a record .519 mark, and he finished second in the league in three-point field goals per game (2.31). The sharp-shooting forward scored in double-figures in 16 of Butler's final 22 games. Streicher, who tied the school single season record for games played (36), emerged as one of Butler's top defenders. He led the Bulldogs in blocked shots (0.4) and field goal shooting (.644).
The five Butler seniors boast a combined 20 years of collegiate experience heading into this season.
"Those (seniors) have a great idea of what it takes to be successful," noted Stevens. "They all lead in their own way, and they're all guys who represent our program in the right ways on and off the court."
One other returnee who picked up considerable experience last year is sophomore Willie Veasley, who played in 35 games in his initial season with the Bulldogs. He finished second on the team with a .632 shooting percentage and emerged as a solid defender.
Other letterwinners returning from last season are 6-7 forward Elliot Engelmann, who played in 15 games, and guards Ben Slaton and Nick Rodgers, both former walk-ons.
Joining the returnees are six newcomers - 6-8 Avery Jukes, 6-4 Grant Leiendecker, 6-7 Matt Howard, 6-0 Zach Hahn, 6-1 Shawn Vanzant and 6-4 Alex Anglin. Two of the six have already spent time in the Butler system. Jukes, a sophomore, transferred to Butler from Alabama and will be eligible in December, while Leiendecker sat out his first season at Butler last year as a medical redshirt. Howard and Hahn, two Indiana High School All-State performers, both were members of the Indiana All-Star Team for the 2007 Indiana-Kentucky High School All-Star series. Vanzant was the leading scorer for 29-2 Wharton High School in Tampa, Fla., last season. Anglin, a sophomore, earned a spot on Butler's roster as a walk-on.
The new talent has given Butler a deeper, more versatile roster. Determining who will play will be one of the challenges facing Stevens. Determining how they'll play won't.
"Our style will be very similar to last year. Our pieces are different, but our philosophy isn't. Hopefully, we'll continue to be efficient and effective in what we do."
Story provided by Butler Office of Sports Information
