#18 Butler Bulldogs Predictions: 2010/2011 NCAA Future Lines
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Sportsbook.com odds to win NCAA title – 40/1
NCAA Basketball – Butler Preview
Key players added – F Khyle Marshall, G Chrishawn Hopkins and F Erik Fromm.
Key players lost – Gordon Hayward, Willie Veasley
Even though Butler lost Gordon Hayward, who was the Horizon League Player of the year and a lottery pick by the Utah Jazz, the Bulldogs are a veteran led team with some solid incoming freshman. It is not a long shot to think Butler will repeat last season’s success, where they won 33 games, went 18-0 in conference play, and lost to Duke in the National Title game.
Butler has one of the best young coaches in the nation in 33-year old Brad Stevens, who was one of the hottest commodities in the country after his run to the National Championship game. He turned down coaching offers from bigger schools such as Oregon, Wake Forrest, and Clemson to sign a 12-year contract to remain at Butler. After staying put Stevens stated, “I’m not a person who has a list of goals of where I need to be. I believe in finding a place that works and staying there. That’s what I’ve got here.”
Butler had the best season in their history last season, but they are totally focused on this season. When coach Stevens was asked about the Final 4 banner that will be hung at the Bulldogs’ season opener he stated, “We won’t talk about it. We never do. It’s not pertinent to this year’s team.”
Stevens will have a team with tons of veterans, as the Bulldogs have 8 juniors and seniors led by G Shelvin Mack (14.1 ppg last season) and F Matt Howard (11.6 ppg 5.6 rpg last season). These 2 will be counted on to lead the team and fill the void left by Howard, who was the teams leading scorer and rebounder last season. Mack will be the key player for the Bulldogs this season and he will have to take the reigns as the leader of the team. He is only 101 points shy of scoring 1,000 points in his career and he was also named to the Wooden Award pre season Top 50 list. 
G Ronald Nored returns and he averaged 6 ppg last season, but played 30 minutes per game. He will have to score more this season to take some pressure off Mack in the backcourt. He is a stud on defense winning the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year last season. G Zach Hahn averaged 4.9 ppg last season and he is a 3-point gunner that shot 41.4% from downtown.
Even with the solid returning guys the Bulldogs have some talent coming in with freshman F Khyle Marshall, G Chrishawn Hopkins and F Erik Fromm. Marshall is a very athletic player that averaged 28 ppg and 11 rpg as a senior in high school and Hopkins was voted City Player of the Year in Indianapolis and he has a great all around game and can light it up from deep.
Butler has it all this season and Mack is a leading candidate to win the Horizon League Player of the Year. The Bulldogs will not sneak up on anybody this season and they play 3 killer away games before they start conference play facing Louisville, Xavier, and a rematch of last year’s title game against Duke.
Surprising stat: Butler has won 18 consecutive regular-season games and 20 straight Horizon League regular-season games.
Strengths: guard play, defense, veteran leadership. The Bulldogs have it all, as they can score from the backcourt and down low and their veterans will not be flustered. Sports Illustrated has their backcourt ranked 5th in the nation in a pre-season poll.
Weaknesses: Height. The Bulldogs are not a tall team, as Andrew Smith is their tallest player at 6’11 and he only averaged 4.9 minutes per game last season.
Big Dance? Hell yeah, it’s a lock.
Butler Win total prediction for 2010-11
I would be surprised if Butler did not go undefeated in Horizon League play again, as they are much better than any other team in the conference. They will win over 30 games again this season, win their conference, and get another high seed in the Big Dance and be a team that, once again, nobody will want to play.
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