The 2016-17 Butler basketball team faces the challenging of replacing four-year contributors Roosevelt Jones and Kellen Dunham. Finding players to step into those roles will determine whether the Bulldogs can separate themselves from a crowded, middle of the pack Big East.
BUTLER BULLDOGS
Last Season: T-4th, 10-8 in BE, 24-11 overall
Predicted Big East Finish: 7th
Projected Depth Chart
C: Andrew Chrabascz (Sr)/Nate Fowler (So)/Joey Brunk (Fr)
PF: Tyler Wideman (Jr)
SF: Kelan Martin (Jr)/Sean McDermott (Fr)/Henry Baddley (Fr)
SG: Kethan Savage (Sr)/Avery Woodson (Sr)
PG: Tyler Lewis (Sr)/Kamar Baldwin (Fr)
Gone: F-Roosevelt Jones, SG-Kellen Dunham, SF-Austin Etherington, SG-Jordan Gathers, PF-Jackson Davis (transfer-Eastern Kentucky)
Butler Basketball Strengths:
Butler has a very solid and experienced starting frontcourt. Kelan Martin is the star of the group after making a major leap during his sophomore season. Andrew Chrabascz and Tyler Wideman are returning starters as well. Chrabascz is an inside/outside scoring threat while Wideman makes his biggest impact on the boards.
Butler Basketball Question Marks:
Tyler Lewis, George Washington transfer Kethan Savage, and Memphis graduate transfer Avery Woodson will compete for two starting guard spots. Whoever is the odd man out will be the only player to come off the Butler bench with any real experience. That leaves a young group to try and fill in as reserves. Keep an eye on redshirt freshman wing, Sean McDermott who should provide some needed scoring punch.
Butler Basketball Player to Watch:
Martin more than doubled his production as a sophomore, averaging 15.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. With Jones and Dunham gone, Martin takes on even more of a scoring load. He has a well-rounded offensive game whether he is attacking the basket or shooting it from the outside.
X-Factor:
Former McDonald’s All-American and N.C. State transfer, Tyler Lewis was a disappointment last season in his first year at Butler. Chris Holtmann eventually pulled Lewis from the starting lineup and instead used Jones as the point guard. If Lewis can establish himself as the true floor general, Butler may not take as big of a step back as I think they will.
Looking Ahead to 2017-18:
In addition to another George Washington transfer, guard Paul Jorgensen who must sit out this season, the Bulldogs already have four players committed for their 2017 class. They will add versatility on the wing with top 100 small forwards, Christian David and Kyle Young.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/16 vs. Northwestern
11/24 vs. Vanderbilt (Las Vegas Invitational)
11/25 vs. Arizona/Santa Clara (Las Vegas Invitational)
11/28 at Utah
12/10 vs. Cincinnati
12/17 vs. Indiana
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.