The first men’s semifinal tips off at 6:07pm at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Michigan State Spartans compete against the Butler Bulldogs with the championship game on the line. The winner advances to the national championship against either Duke or West Virginia. Both Tom Izzo’s Spartans and Brad Stevens’ Bulldogs have had impressive runs to the Final Four. Michigan State, last year’s runner-up, is appearing in the school’s eighth Final Four. This is the first trip for Butler, but don’t let a lack of experience fool you. These defensively-minded Bulldogs are veteran ballplayers with offensive weapons that were strong enough to take out the number one and two seeds during their regional run. Butler was the fifth seed in the West Region. They knocked off 12th seeded UTEP and 13th seeded Murray State before sizing up Syracuse and crippling Kansas State. The Bulldogs are pests on defense and they are currently riding a 24 game winning streak. Stevens’ stellar team is my favorite to win the opening semifinal.
Michigan State suffered a huge blow to their roster when Kalin Lucas went down with a season-ending injury. Izzo’s team still has plenty to over in place of Lucas, but it will be a tremendous challenge to tackle the Bulldogs. The Spartans won three of their four games in the tournament by three points or less. Iowa was the only opponent posing little threat to the Big Ten’s Spartans. Butler’s road to the Final Four was more difficult, but even with the quality of the Bulldogs’ wins, they are the superior team. Butler defends the perimeter and swarms ball-handlers. The potent Bulldogs offense is a balanced one capable of knocking down 3-pointers and driving the lane for layups. Gordon Hayward carried the Bulldogs in the Elite Eight win over Kansas State. The 6’9” forward has brilliant guard skills and a solid inside-out game. Hayward is the team’s leading scorer and has most undoubtedly opened the eyes of NBA scouts. Butler’s transition offense has also excelled during the tournament. Their rebounding against the Wildcats was wonderful. Butler doesn’t give up many offensive rebounds despite being an undersized unit. Ronald Nored gets the ball off the rim in the backcourt and Willie Veasley is quick up-front. Veasley is also capable of scoring in double-digits. Shelvin Mack flys under the radar for Butler, but is a consistent shooting guard who is savvy on defense. Junior Matt Howard needs to stay out of foul trouble. Howard’s low-post shooting makes him a terror in the paint. The Bulldogs are not careless, committing very few turnovers. That may be the biggest key in the game against Michigan State.
The 24-8 Spartans are no slouches on defense. They have appeared sluggish down the stretch, but are still a determined group. Izzo’s squad out-rebounds opponents by eight per game. They turn the ball over more than Butler, however. Michigan State needs to pump up the defense and continue to drill and drain buckets on offense if they want to sink Butler tonight. MSU won their first four games by a combined 13 points because of critical clutch shooting and efficient shooting. Draymond Green is a smart player for the Spartans. Green does many things well, including rebounding, passing, shooting and defending. The Spartans crush foes on the boards, and this is where the Bulldogs may struggle. The athletic Spartans block shots at a very high rate. Raymar Morgan is an NBA-quality player and Durrell Summers is capable of carrying the scoring load. Both play at an elite level on the court. Korie Lucious, filling in for Lucas, has really stepped up for the Spartans. Lucious has a history of making big shots and is a vital catalyst for his team. He can be mistake-prone and that won’t fly against a well-versed Butler team. I still think the Bulldogs are a tough matchup for the Spartan’s offense. Both teams thrive from long range so it’s important to guard the major players in this contest. Butler’s stout half-court game gives them a favorable edge over the Spartan’s snarling tight defense. MSU has an effective bench player in Chris Allen and Derrick Nix adds size to the Spartan roster. Butler’s bench isn’t as deep, but several of Stevens’ subs should see time. Look for Butler to slow down the tempo and play to their advantage. The Bulldogs are 15-0 at home this season. They are 12-1 on the road. Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium is five miles from the Butler campus. No matter what you consider them in this match-up, odds are the Horizon League Bulldogs will be playing for a national championship come Easter Monday.
Parting Points: Happy Birthday to Marlon Brando, Jennie Garth and Leona Lewis.
Song of the day- “Happy” by Leona Lewis
Showing posts with label Butler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Butler. Show all posts
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Defense Dominates the Dance
K-State, Kentucky KO’d
The Butler Bulldogs are headed to their first Final Four in team history after besting second seeded Kansas State in Saturday’s West regional final. Butler beat the Wildcats 63-56 to advance to Indianapolis next weekend. The underdog Bulldogs clawed the Cats with fantastic defense to extend their winning streak to 24 straight games. Butler’s in-your-face defense propelled them to a 27-20 halftime lead, and the Bulldogs held K-State’s top two scorers to two first half points. Butler hounded Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen as they shot a combined 11 for 30. A late Kansas State comeback fell short. The Bulldogs were relentless despite falling behind briefly in the second half. Sophomore Gordon Hayward was the Bulldogs’ most consistent vessel, scoring 22 points in leading Butler to the Big Dance Final Four.
The Wildcats entered Saturday’s contest with a decided size benefit, but Butler grabbed a plus-12 rebound advantage in establishing their ferocity. Hayward collected nine of the team’s 36 rebounds. The teams scored an even 36 in the second half due in part to senior Clemente’s passionate effort. Clemente carried K-State with 18 points, including three from beyond the arc. Butler boasted their own big man downtown in team leader, Shelvin Mack. Mack, the Bulldogs’ sophomore guard, went 3-for-6 from long range and finished with 16 points. Pullen and Curtis Kelly added 14 apiece for the Big 12 Wildcats. Willie Veasley and Ronald Nored smothered the Wildcat shooters who scored a combined 53 points their double overtime victory over Xavier. Forty hours later, K-State looked lethargic and tired against the Cinderalla Bulldogs. Pullen clanked floating jumpers off the rim time after time, and Clemente hobbled throughout most of the game with a bruised thigh. The Bulldogs shot 38% and did not hit a basket outside 15 feet in the first half. Butler controlled the tempo and pace of the ball game and gave every indication they wanted it more. Clemente’s 3-pointer with 4:49 remaining capped an 8-0 run and the only K-State lead of the day. Butler continued to pack the zone, eliminating any driving chances for the offensive-minded Wildcats. Now it’s on to their hometown Indiana for a Final Four meeting with the winner of today’s Tennessee-Michigan State pairing.
Top-seeded Kentucky is the third number one to be ousted in the tournament. John Calipari’s favored Wildcats were downed by the dance darlings, West Virginia. The Mountaineers topped Kentucky in Syracuse last night, 73-66. Second-seeded West Virginia returns to the Final Four for the first time since Jerry West’s junior season in 1959. The Mountaineers played Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium against the victor of Duke-Baylor. The 31-6 Big East champions were fuled by junior, Joe Mazzulla’s career-high 17 points. Cold-shooting Kentucky was shocked from the opening tip in this one-two matchup. West Virginia made eight 3-pointers in the first half and succeeded in slowing the scintillating sensation, John Wall. Wall, an NBA-bound freshman, scored 19 points for the young and overmatched Wildcats. The aggressive and athletic Mountaineers used solid defense and played exclusively out of the 1-3-1 zone to puzzle the Wildcats. Kentucky’s inability to sustain runs and solve the WVU zone was a major factor in just their third loss of the year.
The Wildcats were dismal from long range, connecting a mere 12.5% of the time. Kentucky missed their first 20 attempts from deep. DeAndre Loggins ended the 3-point drought with 3:29 left, but it was too late for Kentucky. West Virginia allowed few chances for the Kentucky guard to penetrate as the defense and long range shooting kept the Mountaineers in the game during the first half. Bob Huggins’ team were held without a 2-point field goal the entire first half but still led by two points at the break. They were 8-of-15 beyond the arc. Kentucky’s inexperience showed as the ineffective Wildcats misfired following an 11-0 run to open the contest. Da’Sean Butler guided the Mountaineers with 18 points. West Virginia denied the top seed easy shot by committing fouls and forcing the Wildcats to make free throws. The Wildcats were just 16-of-29 from the line. Wall was 7-of-18 from the floor and hit half of his eight freebies. Kentucky outrebounded West Virginia by nine, but four Mountaineers reached double digits in this team effort. Kevin Jones and Devin Ebanks combined for 15 rebounds and 25 points. Patrick Patterson, the junior forward snatched 13 rebounds in Kentucky’s attempt to reject the Mountaineers. WVY deployed a second half strategy to get to the rim and implement layup opportunities. It paid off to play to their offensive strengths. The Mountaineers built a ten point advantage to begin the second half. The spurt put WVU in control the remainder of the game. The mighty Mountaineers exited the Carrier Dome with an encouraging upset to grab the spotlight in this unpredictable tournament.
Parting Points: Happy Palm Sunday!
The Butler Bulldogs are headed to their first Final Four in team history after besting second seeded Kansas State in Saturday’s West regional final. Butler beat the Wildcats 63-56 to advance to Indianapolis next weekend. The underdog Bulldogs clawed the Cats with fantastic defense to extend their winning streak to 24 straight games. Butler’s in-your-face defense propelled them to a 27-20 halftime lead, and the Bulldogs held K-State’s top two scorers to two first half points. Butler hounded Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen as they shot a combined 11 for 30. A late Kansas State comeback fell short. The Bulldogs were relentless despite falling behind briefly in the second half. Sophomore Gordon Hayward was the Bulldogs’ most consistent vessel, scoring 22 points in leading Butler to the Big Dance Final Four.
The Wildcats entered Saturday’s contest with a decided size benefit, but Butler grabbed a plus-12 rebound advantage in establishing their ferocity. Hayward collected nine of the team’s 36 rebounds. The teams scored an even 36 in the second half due in part to senior Clemente’s passionate effort. Clemente carried K-State with 18 points, including three from beyond the arc. Butler boasted their own big man downtown in team leader, Shelvin Mack. Mack, the Bulldogs’ sophomore guard, went 3-for-6 from long range and finished with 16 points. Pullen and Curtis Kelly added 14 apiece for the Big 12 Wildcats. Willie Veasley and Ronald Nored smothered the Wildcat shooters who scored a combined 53 points their double overtime victory over Xavier. Forty hours later, K-State looked lethargic and tired against the Cinderalla Bulldogs. Pullen clanked floating jumpers off the rim time after time, and Clemente hobbled throughout most of the game with a bruised thigh. The Bulldogs shot 38% and did not hit a basket outside 15 feet in the first half. Butler controlled the tempo and pace of the ball game and gave every indication they wanted it more. Clemente’s 3-pointer with 4:49 remaining capped an 8-0 run and the only K-State lead of the day. Butler continued to pack the zone, eliminating any driving chances for the offensive-minded Wildcats. Now it’s on to their hometown Indiana for a Final Four meeting with the winner of today’s Tennessee-Michigan State pairing.
Top-seeded Kentucky is the third number one to be ousted in the tournament. John Calipari’s favored Wildcats were downed by the dance darlings, West Virginia. The Mountaineers topped Kentucky in Syracuse last night, 73-66. Second-seeded West Virginia returns to the Final Four for the first time since Jerry West’s junior season in 1959. The Mountaineers played Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium against the victor of Duke-Baylor. The 31-6 Big East champions were fuled by junior, Joe Mazzulla’s career-high 17 points. Cold-shooting Kentucky was shocked from the opening tip in this one-two matchup. West Virginia made eight 3-pointers in the first half and succeeded in slowing the scintillating sensation, John Wall. Wall, an NBA-bound freshman, scored 19 points for the young and overmatched Wildcats. The aggressive and athletic Mountaineers used solid defense and played exclusively out of the 1-3-1 zone to puzzle the Wildcats. Kentucky’s inability to sustain runs and solve the WVU zone was a major factor in just their third loss of the year.
The Wildcats were dismal from long range, connecting a mere 12.5% of the time. Kentucky missed their first 20 attempts from deep. DeAndre Loggins ended the 3-point drought with 3:29 left, but it was too late for Kentucky. West Virginia allowed few chances for the Kentucky guard to penetrate as the defense and long range shooting kept the Mountaineers in the game during the first half. Bob Huggins’ team were held without a 2-point field goal the entire first half but still led by two points at the break. They were 8-of-15 beyond the arc. Kentucky’s inexperience showed as the ineffective Wildcats misfired following an 11-0 run to open the contest. Da’Sean Butler guided the Mountaineers with 18 points. West Virginia denied the top seed easy shot by committing fouls and forcing the Wildcats to make free throws. The Wildcats were just 16-of-29 from the line. Wall was 7-of-18 from the floor and hit half of his eight freebies. Kentucky outrebounded West Virginia by nine, but four Mountaineers reached double digits in this team effort. Kevin Jones and Devin Ebanks combined for 15 rebounds and 25 points. Patrick Patterson, the junior forward snatched 13 rebounds in Kentucky’s attempt to reject the Mountaineers. WVY deployed a second half strategy to get to the rim and implement layup opportunities. It paid off to play to their offensive strengths. The Mountaineers built a ten point advantage to begin the second half. The spurt put WVU in control the remainder of the game. The mighty Mountaineers exited the Carrier Dome with an encouraging upset to grab the spotlight in this unpredictable tournament.
Parting Points: Happy Palm Sunday!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thursday Take-Twos (500th post!)
The reward for downing number one Kansas and reaching the Sweet 16? A $450,000annual salary and ten year contract. That’s what Northern Iowa head coach, Ben Jacobson, will collect starting next season. Jacobson’s Panthers stunned the top seeded Jayhawks in the second round of the NCAA tournament. While nobody expects Northern Iowa to reach the Final Four, the Panthers have opened the eyes of many after reaching the Midwest regional semifinals. The school’s athletic director awarded the 39 year old men’s hoops coach a substantial raise as the Panthers prepare to play 2009 national runner-up, Michigan State. Tom Izzo’s Spartans will be without leading man, Kalin Lucas. Jacobson’s fattened check runs through 2020 but his Cinderella squad will need more than dough to shrug off the star-less Spartans in St. Louis.
The 2009-2010 New Jersey Nets haven’t exactly stockpiled wins. The team with seven wins to 63 hapless losses managed to add another victory last night at the IZOD Center. The Nets are trying to avoid the stigma of being crowned the worst team in NBA history. Wednesday’s 93-79 triumph over the Sacramento Kings was a step in the right direction. New Jersey snapped an eight game losing streak and fourteen game home slide behind Brook Lopez’ 26 points. Nets’ point guard, Devin Harris added 24 for the league’s bottom feeders. New Jersey needs to win two of their final 11 games to avoid the distinction of fewest victories in a season. The ’72-73 hold that claim, a record nobody wants. The 24-48 visiting Kings presented a winnable game for Kiki Vandeweghe’s Nets, and they grabbed the rare opportunity to ring up the W.
Out for the Orange against Butler today is Syracuse center, Arinze Onuaku. The 6’9” Onuaku injured his quadriceps in the Big East tournament win over Georgetown and has missed the Big Dance so far. It didn’t matter for Jim Boeheim’s Orange, who dominated Vermont and Gonzaga without their fourth leading scorer on the court. Syracuse’s size advantage should be enough to compete with fifth seeded Butler in the Sweet 16 matchup today in Salt Lake. Boeheim still boasts a fairly tall lineup. The Bulldogs played the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament as the higher seed. Now they assume the more familiar role of the lower seeded underdog in the West Regional semifinals. Perennial mid-major, Butler trailed at halftime during both victories but pulled themselves together with strong second halves. The Bulldogs are 9-3 after trailing at the break. The Orange are a team known for getting behind in games, so this game presents an interesting matchup. The Bulldogs don’t turn the ball over very often and are excellent in robbing opponents inside the zone. Syracuse should focus their commitment on defense and taunting and forcing the Butler players to shoot from outside. They must not allow the Bulldogs an opportunity to attack the zone. The Orange held Vermont and Gonzaga to a combined 18% shooting from beyond the arc, while they themselves hit 46.8% from downtown. Balanced scoring is another Butler strength the Orange need to nullify in order to book tickets to the Elite Eight.
Michigan State and Syracuse aren’t the only Sweet 16 teams bitten by the injury bug. West Virginia lost guard Darryl Bryant for the remainder of the tournament. The sophomore, affectionately nicknamed “Truck”, broke his right foot during the Mountaineers’ Tuesday practice. Junior Joe Mazzulla will likely occupy Bryant’s slot in Bob Huggins’ lineup when WVU plays Washington tonight at the Carrier Dome.
Parting Points: The Yankees hand the fifth starter job to Phil Hughes.
“No matter how far life pushes you down, no matter how much you hurt, you can always bounce back.”- Birthday girl, Sheryl Swoopes
The 2009-2010 New Jersey Nets haven’t exactly stockpiled wins. The team with seven wins to 63 hapless losses managed to add another victory last night at the IZOD Center. The Nets are trying to avoid the stigma of being crowned the worst team in NBA history. Wednesday’s 93-79 triumph over the Sacramento Kings was a step in the right direction. New Jersey snapped an eight game losing streak and fourteen game home slide behind Brook Lopez’ 26 points. Nets’ point guard, Devin Harris added 24 for the league’s bottom feeders. New Jersey needs to win two of their final 11 games to avoid the distinction of fewest victories in a season. The ’72-73 hold that claim, a record nobody wants. The 24-48 visiting Kings presented a winnable game for Kiki Vandeweghe’s Nets, and they grabbed the rare opportunity to ring up the W.
Out for the Orange against Butler today is Syracuse center, Arinze Onuaku. The 6’9” Onuaku injured his quadriceps in the Big East tournament win over Georgetown and has missed the Big Dance so far. It didn’t matter for Jim Boeheim’s Orange, who dominated Vermont and Gonzaga without their fourth leading scorer on the court. Syracuse’s size advantage should be enough to compete with fifth seeded Butler in the Sweet 16 matchup today in Salt Lake. Boeheim still boasts a fairly tall lineup. The Bulldogs played the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament as the higher seed. Now they assume the more familiar role of the lower seeded underdog in the West Regional semifinals. Perennial mid-major, Butler trailed at halftime during both victories but pulled themselves together with strong second halves. The Bulldogs are 9-3 after trailing at the break. The Orange are a team known for getting behind in games, so this game presents an interesting matchup. The Bulldogs don’t turn the ball over very often and are excellent in robbing opponents inside the zone. Syracuse should focus their commitment on defense and taunting and forcing the Butler players to shoot from outside. They must not allow the Bulldogs an opportunity to attack the zone. The Orange held Vermont and Gonzaga to a combined 18% shooting from beyond the arc, while they themselves hit 46.8% from downtown. Balanced scoring is another Butler strength the Orange need to nullify in order to book tickets to the Elite Eight.
Michigan State and Syracuse aren’t the only Sweet 16 teams bitten by the injury bug. West Virginia lost guard Darryl Bryant for the remainder of the tournament. The sophomore, affectionately nicknamed “Truck”, broke his right foot during the Mountaineers’ Tuesday practice. Junior Joe Mazzulla will likely occupy Bryant’s slot in Bob Huggins’ lineup when WVU plays Washington tonight at the Carrier Dome.
Parting Points: The Yankees hand the fifth starter job to Phil Hughes.
“No matter how far life pushes you down, no matter how much you hurt, you can always bounce back.”- Birthday girl, Sheryl Swoopes
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