Tag: Butler

Wisconsin rises in both KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Butler

Wisconsin rises in both KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Butler

Wisconsin basketball ended its three-game losing streak on Saturday with an 83-74 win over Butler.

The victory improves the Badgers to 9-3 on the 2024-25 season. Importantly, it guarantees momentum entering the holiday break, barring an unforeseen loss to Detroit Mercy (No. 318 in KenPom) on Dec. 22.

Related: Big takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s important win over Butler

The Badgers had tumbled in both KenPom and ESPN BPI during the mentioned losing streak. The team fell from a fringe-top-20 contender down to the mid-30s of both rankings.

The win over Butler righted that trajectory. Wisconsin rose in both rating metrics:

  • KenPom: No. 33 (up from No. 35), with the No. 15 offense and No. 89 defense in the country.
  • BPI: No. 34 (up from No. 35), with a projected record of 20.3 – 10.7 and a 5.5% chance to win the Big Ten.

The Badgers are the No. 9 and No. 8-ranked team in the Big Ten in those two rankings, respectively. While a step down from where the team was after its 8-0 start, each slot is a significant upgrade over where it stood entering the season (No. 46 in KenPom, No. 39 in BPI).

That sentence likely captures the tone of the fanbase: the three-game losing streak paused big-picture expectations, especially in a gauntlet Big Ten. But overall, the Badgers look far better than any expected when the season began.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Dec. 22 at home against Detroit Mercy. It is then off until Jan. 3, 2025 when the Big Ten schedule continues with a home matchup against Iowa.

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Caitlin Clark was on hand to watch Wisconsin basketball’s win over Butler

Caitlin Clark was on hand to watch Wisconsin basketball’s win over Butler

Wisconsin basketball’s 83-74 win over Butler on Saturday was attended by one of the most famous figures in the basketball world — Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.

Clark was on hand with Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton to watch the action at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — the home of the Pacers.

The Badgers defeated the Bulldogs in the matchup thanks to season-best performances from big men Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter. The two combined for 38 points and 14 rebounds, providing the Badgers a key edge as they mostly struggled shooting the basketball (24% from three).

Greg Gard’s team also shot 92.6% from the free-throw line in the effort, tallying 30% of its total offensive production in that area.

The game was far from a representation of the highest level of basketball. The two teams combined for 42 fouls and 59 free throw attempts. Neither shot particularly well from deep in the neutral-site setting. As mentioned, Wisconsin’s interior scoring and efficiency from the free-throw line decided the matchup.

Clark, an emerging superstar in the sport, just wrapped up her rookie campaign with the Fever. She was the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year in a runaway, breaking a long list of records in the process. Her rise into stardom was also recently recognized by TIME Magazine Athlete of Year honors.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Dec. 22 at home against Detroit Mercy. It is then idle for 11 days before a Jan. 3, 2025 home matchup against Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes.

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RECAP: Wisconsin basketball snaps losing streak with 83-74 victory over Butler

Quick thoughts on Wisconsin’s win over Butler

Wisconsin basketball returned to the win column with an 83-74 win over Butler on Saturday.

The Badgers started hot, bursting out to a 9-0 lead in the game’s early stages. They kept that advantage throughout the first frame before an important closing 16-5 run built a 47-33 halftime lead.

Butler remained within striking distance for much of the second half. But Wisconsin held the opponent at arm’s length, holding on for a wire-to-wire victory.

The big story of the game was the performance of the Badgers’ big men, led by senior Steven Crowl. Crowl had been the center of conversation after he failed to record a rebound during the Badgers’ recent loss at Illinois. His response: 18 points and six rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting and 2-of-3 from three.

Nolan Winter was just as good, finishing with a team-high 20 points and eight rebounds on 8-of-15 shooting.

Wisconsin rebounded the ball better than it did during its three-game losing streak. It grabbed 32 total rebounds, matching Butler’s total. Most importantly, the Badgers held the Bulldogs to just five rebounds on the offensive end.

That rebounding and interior performance carried the team throughout. The Badgers shot just 44.8% from the field and 24% (6-of-25) from three-point range. They did, however, make 25 of 27 free throw attempts, while Butler went just 22-of-32. Those margins are where the game was decided down the stretch.

Wisconsin improves to 9-3 on the season with the victory. Butler drops to 7-4. The Badgers now have just one game (Dec. 22 vs. Detroit Mercy) before Big Ten play heats up on January 3. The win over Butler builds critical momentum before a quiet few weeks.

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Wisconsin basketball officially announces 2024-25 nonconference game vs. Butler

Wisconsin basketball officially announces nonconference game vs. Butler

Wisconsin basketball officially announced its 2024-25 nonconference contest against Butler on Thursday.

The game will take place on Dec. 14 at a neutral site — Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the Indiana Pacers.

Related: Big Ten basketball teams ranked by returning production entering 2024-25 season

This matchup, which was initially reported by CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein back in May, adds another difficult matchup to what is an already challenging nonconference schedule for the Badgers.

The team hosts top-ranked Arizona on Nov. 15, faces UCF and either LSU or Pittsburgh in the Greenbrier Tip-Off, visits rival Marquette and now will also meet Butler. That is all before a Big Ten schedule that now includes conference newcomers UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington.

Wisconsin is sure to again have one of the toughest schedules in the sport as the Big Ten and college basketball’s new landscape comes into focus.

The Butler program that Wisconsin will tip off against is fresh off an 18-15 2023-24 season. The Bulldogs have not made the NCAA Tournament since the 2017-18 season. Former Ohio State head coach Thad Matta appears to have the program trending in the right direction after its first winning season in four years.

This will be the 32nd all-time meeting between the two programs. Wisconsin leads the all-time series 17-14.

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Nolan Smith admits 2010 Butler vs. Duke NCAA Championship game was boring

Nolan Smith admits to Theo Pinson that the 2010 Butler vs. Duke NCAA Championship game was boring while breaking down the nail-biting ending.

It’s hard to say an NCAA championship game could ever be boring, but looking back through history, the Butler vs Duke one is hard to deny that.

And even former Duke star Nolan Smith admittedly says so.

Smith appeared on Tidal League’s Run Your Race podcast hosted by Tar Heel [autotag]Theo Pinson[/autotag]. The two athletes, who are natural rivals due to their school’s enriched history discussed numerous things on the podcast including the dreadful Butler vs. Duke game.

Despite a nail-biting ending, the majority of the game was a snooze fest that doesn’t hold up well against other NCAA championship games. Smith, who started in the backcourt alongside current Duke coach Jon Scheyer in the championship game, admitted to Pinson about the being boring to watch but not play in.

Neither team shot particularly well. Butler finished with 33.3% from three, and Duke finished at 29.4%. Stars struggled, with Butler’s star Gordon Hayward finishing with 12 points on 2-11 shooting. Smith didn’t have a stellar game either, finishing with 13 points on 5-15 shooting.

It’s intriguing to hear how Coach K’s decision to call for the missed free throw paid off big time, highlighting his brilliance.

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Watch: College basketball fan makes full-court putt (94 feet) for $5,000

Imagine going to a basketball game only to play golf.

Imagine going to a basketball game only to play golf.

That’s what one lucky Butler fan got to do Wednesday, as the Bulldogs took on Xavier in a men’s college basketball game. As is tradition at most sporting events, there was some entertainment during a timeout where a fan had a chance to hit a full-court putt to win some money.

Well, this lucky kid is a savant at reading the hardwood.

He hit the putt, and it rolled the full 94 feet before going into the hole that was likely half the size of a real golf hole. He probably should’ve gotten more than $5,000 for the putt, but nevertheless, that’s more money leaving than he had coming in.

Somebody get this kid in the next signature event.

And he’s not the only person to do it in this year. At Indiana State in January, another fan made a putt for $10,000.

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Brad Stevens’ son Brady commits to Notre Dame for 2024

Another future get for the Irish.

The [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] era at Notre Dame seems to be defined early by luring the offspring of established basketball minds. Shrewsberry’s son, Braeden and Calvin Booth’s son, Carey, will make their Irish debuts this coming season. Recently, Nazr Mohammed’s son, Sir, committed for 2024. Now, the Irish can add Brad Stevens’ son, Brady, to the mix in 2024 after the following Instagram post was made:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwIx4yvpCpO/?img_index=1

Not much seems to be known about the younger Stevens other than he plays for the high school in Wellesley, Massachusetts. He doesn’t even have a 247Sports profile, suggesting he was only lightly recruited if at all. However, Shrewsberry was an assistant for the elder Stevens with Butler and then, the Boston Celtics. That alone might have made Notre Dame the best college option for someone who clearly will be walking on.

While the 2023-24 Irish will struggle, there is hope that the 2024-25 Irish  will allow Shrewsberry to do more than try to patch something together with a makeshift roster. Do you have the patience for that? Well, you won’t have a choice regardless. After all, good things come to those who wait.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Notre Dame lands commitment from 2024 forward recruit Garrett Sundra

Nice get.

Notre Dame has been lacking impact players down low for some time now. Sure, there’s been some talent there, but none of it has been good enough to build the lineup around. Might that change with 6-foot-10 power forward [autotag]Garrett Sundra[/autotag]? We soon will get an answer to that question after Sundra committed to the Irish:

Per 247Sports, Sundra is a four-star recruit and the fourth-best player out of Virginia in the 2024 class. Sundra made his official visit to Notre Dame on Aug. 1. In fact, it was the only official visit he made to any school. That was bad news for the others interested in him, including Butler, Providence, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, Miami, Maryland and Iowa.

[autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] still has a long way to go in building the team he wants. [autotag]Cole Certa[/autotag] is the only other 2024 commit he currently has, and that’s not counting all the inexperience on this coming season’s roster. The Irish eventually will get to where they want to be, but it’s going to require time and patience. Hopefully, everybody understands that.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

ChatGPT ranks top 10 quarterbacks in Notre Dame history

Do you agree with these rankings?

No position in sports is more important than the quarterback. Notre Dame is lucky that it will have a good one this season in [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag]. Though his services only will be for one year, the potential for him to have a history-making season is high. With that will come high expectations.

But how will Hartman measure up to the great Notre Dame quarterbacks of the past? For that, let’s turn to AI writing tool ChatGPT and see what it believes is a fair list for the top 10 men under center to play for the Irish.

Keep in mind that ChatGPT has this disclaimer:

“Ranking the top 10 quarterbacks in Notre Dame history is subjective and open to interpretation, as different eras and playing styles contribute to individual greatness. However, based on their impact on the program, statistical achievements, and team success, the following list represents 10 notable quarterbacks in Notre Dame’s storied history.”

And this one:

“Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and there are many other talented quarterbacks who have contributed to the Notre Dame football legacy. The rankings can vary depending on personal opinions and criteria used to evaluate their performances.”

On that, here is the list with some entries edited for clarity and accuracy:

Micah Shrewsberry wants annual game to showcase Notre Dame in Indiana

Are you a fan of this idea?

Since being named Notre Dame coach, [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] has had Indiana at the front of his mind, and not only because he’s from there. Recognizing the state’s rich heritage and talent pool, he’s made it his mission to put the Irish on the same level of recognition as Indiana, Purdue and Butler. It’s not stopping with recruiting either.

In an appearance on “College Hoops Today with Jon Rothstein,” Shrewsberry mentioned how he wants at least one of those aforementioned teams involved with the Irish regularly:

This past season was the first without the Crossroads Classic, which had been held in December in Indianapolis for several years. On the Irish’s local media day before the season, [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag] expressed relief the program didn’t have to deal with it anymore. The Irish finished below .500 all-time in that event, so his feelings were somewhat understandable.

But there’s a new sheriff in town, and Shrewsberry wants to embrace the Irish being part of the Hoosier State, not move away from it. It’s unknown when or if at least one of the former Crossroads Classic participants will be seen on the Irish’s schedule again. A game in Indianapolis probably is more likely to happen first. Whatever happens, Shrewsberry’s pro-Indiana approach could change things for the better in South Bend.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89