We are less than 29 days until selection Sunday, when college basketball teams learn their postseason fate. The Butler Bulldogs lost to Duke in the championship game last year, but this season, they are on the outside looking in.
Thursday, Butler defeated Wright State at home 71-63. The win was Butler’s third straight and lifted the Bulldogs to 17-9 on the season and 9-5 in league play. But that’s not enough.
In Thursday’s home win, the Bulldogs were without the services of their leading scorer and rebounder, Matt Howard who sat out with a mild concussion. The senior center missed his first career game in college, after playing in 122 consecutive games for BU. That’s a serious concern moving forward.
It will be hard for the selection committee to give Butler one of the bids that are up for grabs. Especially a Butler team that lost to Evansville, Milwaukee (twice), Wright State, Valparaiso, and Youngstown State. This is almost the same team that went undefeated in conference play last year. Butler had a critical stretch at the end of January when they lost three games in a row. However they responded by winning their next three games.
The Bulldogs are a fun team to watch. Shelvin Mack out of Louisville has distinguished himself as one of the premier players in the league. Quietly, coach Brad Stevens and company go out about their business ‘The Butler Way.’ Although the style or cliché, has lost its special touch this season. I think everybody underestimated the loss of Gordon Hayward to the NBA Draft.
Butler has four conference games remaining. The regular season concludes February 26th at home against Loyola. The Bulldogs need to keep rolling into the Horizon League tournament for any chance of a tournament bid. Otherwise, they’ll be at home, watching the games on television in March like you and me.
Below, ESPN and 1070 The Fan’s Dan Dakich provides his opinion on Butler and whether they are tournament-worthy.