Following what many would consider to be Butler’s worst start since the 2004-2005 season, the Bulldogs managed to finish 2011 on a positive note doing what they have done for the past 5+ years: beat Horizon League teams at home. In route to a fourth win in their last five games, Butler is riding a three-game win streak and is now 36-3 against Horizon League foes at home since Brad Stevens took over the reigns.
Freshman Kameron Woods continues to impress with his play down the stretch. (Robert Scheer/The Star)
The bad news is that Butler is still shooting just 38% from the field, good for 323rd in the country according to ESPN.com, and does not yet have a consistent scorer on the roster. The good news is that the rest of the 2011-2012 schedules looks very familiar for Stevens and Co.
As everyone surely remembers, the Bulldogs have gone to back-to-back national championship games the past two years. What many fail to remember is that Butler struggled early on during both of those championship appearance seasons.
Following a ten point loss to UAB on December 22nd, Butler was just 8-4 in the early 2009-2010 season. Last year, on December 10th the Bulldogs posted a 4-4 record after losing to Xavier the night earlier. Fast-forward exactly one year later, to this season, where Butler once again struggled to a 4-6 record through December 10th.
The Hayward led team in 2009-2010 went on to win the next 25 straight games, the 2010-2011 team went 9-1 in their next ten games, and this year’s team has so far responded with a 4-1 record against a tough, west-coast road-trip filled schedule.
What happens next for this year’s team remains to be seen, but as the Bulldogs head into the heart of conference play, Brad Stevens still has an advantage over the rest of the Horizon League: confidence. Until another team de-thrones the Horizon League champs, Butler remains the team to beat and if history repeats itself, Horizon League opponents are in for a tough task.
As Chase Stigall continues to struggle with his shot, and Team USA Under-19 participant Khyle Marshall’s minutes decline for whatever reason, others on the team have been asked to step up.
Just in time for the new year, Senior Ronald Nored is beginning to adapt to a new role as a scorer and despite a few ill-advised attempts to score over much larger defenders, Nored has responded with 18, 13, and 7 point performances respectively in his last three outings (all wins).
Despite only playing a combined 5 minutes two game prior, Butler watched as Chrishawn Hopkins was trusted for the first time since the Indiana game to make plays. And in a span of about 4 minutes, Hopkins single-handedly was responsible for a 12-0 run that helped Butler overcome yet another double-digit deficit on their way to a victory over lead-leading UWM.
And despite the lack of a consistent scorer, which continues to leave coaches and fan’s wondering where the points will come from, future opponents will be just as mystified.
One thing, however, seems certain: when you add the resurgence of Hopkins and Nored to the consistent play of Roosevelt Jones and fellow Freshman Kameron Woods, Butler begins to look like the favorite to win the league once again.
Good article Murph. I’m not sure if we will make a run again this year, but assuming everyone improves in the off season, 2012-2013 season could be great. We need outside shooting in the worst way.
It’s quite amazing how Stevens takes a group of young but talented guys and after a few kinks, gets a quality product on the floor. I think with the loss of Mack, the schedule was a little much but in the long run, it will help with their maturation, and ability to win tough games on the road.
They may not win the HL, but they surely will compete for one. and with the current bunch, that’s impressive.