Matt Howard’s jersey should be first to hang in Hinkle Fieldhouse

Matt Howard exemplifies the Butler Way. He is one of the five seniors that will finish their career with the most wins in school history and it didn’t happen by accident.

Howard has done everything he can the last four years to make himself and his teammates better, both on and off the court.

That is why when all is said and done this season, his #54 jersey should be retired…a first for butler.
The impact he has made cannot be stated. In his time at Butler, only Kansas has a better winning percentage. But the Bulldogs also can boast their perfect graduation rate.

The 6’8 senior from Connorsville, Indiana wasn’t recruited heavily around the country or the state. According to Scout.com, he had offers from Miami (Ohio), Valparaiso, West Virginia and Xavier. Dayton, Indiana, and Purdue were among the schools showing interest but ultimately he choose Butler as his destination for the next four years of his life.

And what a difference four years makes In his first season with the Dawgs, Howard averaged 12.3 points, and 5.5 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game.

This season, Howard is averaging 16.7 points, and 7.7 rebounds in 30.4 minutes a game. In his time in a Butler uniform, he has also been named Horizon League newcomer of the year (2007-2008) and player of the year (2008-2009).

Currently, Howard is third all-time at Butler for points and rebounds.

But he’s not just getting it done on the court but also in the classroom. Despite a rigorous practice schedule that has the players up before dawn, Howard manages to earn a 3.77 grade point average and was recently named Academic All-American for that success. He understands the importance of the classroom as well as success on the court.

How many teams can say they went to class on the day of the NCAA Championship game like Butler did last year? I doubt any. Like Coach Stevens stresses, “We are a university with a basketball team…not a university and a basketball team.” They go hand and hand.

A big change this year has also been his three-point threat. His first year he didn’t even attempt a shot from long range. Sophomore year he fired nine, last year 11 and this year—a whooping 111, connecting on 48 for a 43 clip from downtown. Coach Brad Stevens talked about Howard’s importance to Butler University.

“He’s made Butler better,” Coach Stevens said. “How many guys can say that? That they’ve made a whole university better?”

There are many former players in the conversation as all-timers but Howard has been a true accomplished role model.

I’m not the only one on this movement. Chris Denari and Ralph Reiff are also on the bandwagon. Denari was the play-by-play voice of Butler basketball for 17 years years before becoming the television voice of the Indiana Pacers. WNDY television analyst Ralph Reiff (and former Butler trainer) has been harping on this subject all year. They both agree, Howard deserves his day.

His humble personality is a unique trait that I enjoy seeing. Whenever he is interviewed, he has a calm demeanor about him and an actual answer. He doesn’t shy away from the tough questions.

Howard is also first to admit he is not the most stylish or technology-savvy. I remember a couple years ago he admitted to not having a phone that can do text messaging. The phone could send and receive calls and that’s all he needed. As for style, he wears what is comfortable and what has worked rather than staying on top of the trends. He even wears the same pair of raggedy old socks every game because he is use to them and they bring him good luck.

Matt Howard has benefited the Butler program by leaps and bounds. That’s why the Indiana native deserves to be the first jersey hanging in the rafters of the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. There has been no better person, player and teammate than Matt Howard in the history of Butler University.