No. 21 Butler Bulldogs

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Last Season: 33-5, 18-0 (1st Horizon), lost to Duke in the national title game

Head Coach: Brad Stevens

Key Losses: Willie Veasley, Gordon Hayward, Avery Jukes

Newcomers: Khyle Marshall, Chrishawn Hopkins, Erik Fromm

Projected Lineup:

• G: Shelvin Mack, Jr.
  
• G: Ronald Nored, Jr.
  
• G: Shawn Vanzant, Sr.
  
• F: Khyle Marshall, Fr.
  
• F: Matt Howard, Sr.
  
• Bench: Zack Hahn, Sr.; Andrew Smith, So.; Chrishawn Hopkins, Fr.
  

Outlook: Butler can officially stake claim to the title of Darling of College Basketball. That's what happens when a half court prayer comes within inches of making you the real life Hoosiers. Butler went on a magical run last year in the NCAA Tournament, knocking off the likes of Syracuse, Kansas State, and Michigan State before succumbing to Duke in the title game, but they are going two have two massive holes to fill as Willie Veasley graduated and Gordon Hayward skipped his last two seasons -- and rightfully so -- to enter the NBA Draft, where he was picked ninth.

Before I get into the roster, perhaps the most important event of the offseason for Butler -- even more significant than Hayward's early departure -- was that the Bulldogs were able to convince Brad Stevens to stay at home. Granted, it cost them quite a pretty penny to ink him to a 12 year deal, but Stevens was probably the hottest coaching commodity during this past offseason.

But enough about the past. This season, Shelvin Mack is going to be the focal point of this team. In a year where there are point guards aplenty around the country, Mack is one of the best. Mack has always been a scorer. While it has been reported that Mack has shed some weight and added an extra gear in terms of explosiveness and quickness, he's still not the kind of player that is going to beat you off of sheer athleticism. He's an instinctual player, someone that will take advantage of what the defense is giving him. Mack doesn't have a flashy handle, but he's crafty enough to get his defender off balance and get into the paint. He's developed into a very good shooter from the perimeter, and that extra explosiveness is only going the make him more dangerous when he gets into the lane. For Butler to be successful this year, Mack is going to have to embrace the role of being the leader and the go-to guy for the Bulldogs.

He has help in the back court as well. Ronald Nored was the unsung hero for Butler the past few seasons. One of the best perimeter defenders in the country, Nored is also the best creator on the Bulldog roster. If he has improved his perimeter jumper, he should be a weapon offensively. Joining those two in the back court will be Shawn Vanzant and Zack Hahn, the Bulldogs best perimeter shooter. Freshman Chrishawn Hopkins, the Indianapolis player of the year as a senior in high school, should provide a nice scoring punch off the bench as well.

Up front, the Bulldogs will be counting on Matt Howard to return to his sophomore year form. I don't want to say Howard, who was the Horizon League player of the year as a sophomore, regressed as a junior -- with Hayward and Mack becoming stars, he got significantly fewer touches and his biggest issue was foul trouble as he couldn't stay on the floor -- but he did have a disappointing season. Howard is a capable low post scorer, a good rebounder, and excellent when it comes to understanding positioning inside. If he can stay out of foul trouble, he should have a big season as a senior.


After Howard, there are a lot of question marks up front for the Bulldogs. Last year, Stevens was able to rely on the undersized but scrappy Willie Veasley to play the four defensively. But Veasley graduated, which combined with Hayward's decision to turn pro leaves Butler with a lot of inexperience up front. Sophomore Andrew Smith has the size and had a couple of good games during the tournament. He should see time, but its more likely that Stevens goes with one of his other options alongside Howard.

Junior Garrett Butcher and sophomore Emerson Kampen both return up front, and two freshmen will also be added to the mix. Khyle Marshall is the freshman that seems more likely to become an instant impact player. The 6'7" Marshall is long and athletic, and he's willing to defend and crash the glass, which should make him a nice complement to Howard when they share the court. Erik Fromm had good size -- 6'9", 220 lb -- and is a bit more skilled on the perimeter than the rest of Butler's weapons up front.

Putting Butler outside the top 20 will probably be one of their lower rankings this season. And I'll admit -- I don't like doing it. I may only be a blogger, but I consider my self a journalist, meaning I do my damnedest to keep my biases from effecting the product I provide my readers. That said, I find it very difficult not to root for Butler. They are the epitome of everything that is right with college basketball. They recruit four year players, they win by playing as a team offensively and defensively, and they have a roster full of true student-athletes and likeable kids.

But I think that the loss of Veasley and Hayward is really going to hurt. Mack is really the only player on this roster that has proven the ability to create his own shot. Will he still be able to do so without another threat on the floor with him? I also worry about their size. Its a virtual certainty that the Bulldogs are going to be starting three players 6'3" or smaller, and after Howard, there is not one proven front court player.

Butler is going to be able to remain competitive against just about any team in the country simply because of their ability to defend. They should be able to breeze through the Horizon once again, maybe not with an undefeated record but I absolutely expect a multiple game margin when league play comes to a close. But on a national level, is there enough talent, size, and offensive power for the Bulldogs to beat the big dogs? I'm not sure that is the case.