After a rough inaugural year in the Big East, first year head coach Chris Holtmann got the Butler basketball program back on track last season. With their top three scorers returning and the addition of a former McDonald’s All-American, the Bulldogs should once again be a major factor in the conference race.
BUTLER BULLDOGS
Last Season: T-2nd, 12-6 in Big East, 23-11 overall
Predicted Big East Finish: 3rd
Projected Depth Chart
C: Andrew Chrabascz (Jr)/Nate Fowler (Fr)
F: Kelan Martin (So)/Tyler Wideman (So)/Jackson Davis (So)
SF: Roosevelt Jones (Sr)/Austin Etherington (Sr)
SG: Kellen Dunham (Sr)/Jordan Gathers (Sr)/Sean McDermott (Fr)
PG: Tyler Lewis (Jr)
Gone: PG-Alex Barlow, PF-Kameron Woods, PG-Jackson Aldridge
Strengths:
The trio of Kellen Dunham, Roosevelt Jones, and Andrew Chrabascz bring a ton of skill and experience to the floor for the Bulldogs. Dunham is one of the top returning scorers in the Big East and can light it up from downtown as he connected on 41% of his triple tries last season.
Jones’ versatility has been a major asset for Butler the past few seasons and he can play like a point guard thanks to his ball-handling but has the physicality to mix it up down low. Chrabascz also knows how to bang in the paint despite being an undersized five man. These three players averaged more than 40 points per game a year ago and will be the pulse that keeps the Bulldog heart beating this season.
Question Marks:
Butler didn’t get a ton of production from their bench a year ago but that should be improved this season thanks to the addition of graduate transfer, Jordan Gathers. He did miss all of last season with a hip injury but should serve as a scoring threat off the bench. Tyler Wideman will be relied on to bring some size and energy down low but who else can emerge into a rotation player for the Bulldogs is unknown.
Player to Watch:
After getting lost in the mix a bit during his two years at N.C. State, former McDonald’s All-American point guard Tyler Lewis looks for new life with the Bulldogs. Though he may look like he is twelve years old, Lewis is a true floor general, something Butler has been lacking at the point guard position the past couple of seasons.
X-Factor:
Their feisty style of play has carried the Bulldogs for the past several years and that won’t change in 2015-16. This roster is not made up of future NBA players but Butler typically executes extremely well on both ends of the floor. That trend must continue for this team to have any chance of competing with Villanova for the conference crown.
Looking Ahead to 2016-17:
Holtmann landed another transfer from the Atlantic 10 in former George Washington guard, Kethan Savage. His addition on the wing is crucial since both Dunham and Jones are seniors. Butler already has four verbal commitments for the 2016 class so reinforcements are on the way to help replace four seniors.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/19 vs. MIssouri State (Puerto Rico Tip-Off)
11/20 vs. Temple/Minnesota (Puerto Rico Tip-Off)
11/22 vs. Utah/Texas Tech/Miami FL/Mississippi State (Puerto Rico Tip-Off)
12/2 at Cincinnati
12/5 vs. Indiana State
12/12 vs. Tennessee
12/19 vs. Purdue
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.