Tag: Butler Basketball

Former Butler star Gordon Hayward announces NBA retirement

Gordon Hayward, who nearly led the Butler Bulldogs to a national championship in 2010, announced his retirement from the NBA on Thursday.

After a prolific college and NBA career, former All-Star Gordon Hayward announced on social media Thursday morning he is retiring from the game of basketball.

“Today, I am officially retiring from the game of basketball,” Hayward wrote. “It’s been an incredible ride and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped me achieve more than I ever imagined.”

Hayward’s NBA career was marred by injury, in particular a gruesome leg injury in his first game after signing with the Boston Celtics in 2017 that cost him an entire year.

However, his college career is historic, leading the Butler Bulldogs to an unprecedented run to the national championship game as a five seed in 2010. His half court heave against Duke in the championship game just missed, which would have made Butler one of the unlikeliest NCAA champions in basketball history.

Even though Butler didn’t win it all, Hayward’s performance helped raise the profile of the program and was a catalyst – along with coach Brad Stevens – in getting the school into the Big East in 2013 where they have remained ever since.

The 34-year-old retires after averaging 15.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game over 14 NBA seasons.

Jack McCaffery, the son of Iowa basketball head coach Fran McCaffery, commits to Butler

Jack McCaffery commits to Butler.

Four-star forward Jack McCaffery gave a commitment to Butler on Monday. He is the consensus top recruit in Iowa in the class of 2025.

He also has a pretty well-known father in the college basketball world.

Fran McCaffery has been the head coach at Iowa since 2010. He has taken the Hawkeyes to the postseason 11 times including seven trips to the NCAA Tournament. That alone makes the commitment of Jack McCaffery to Butler pretty interesting.

And to top things off, Butler received a commitment this offseason from Patrick McCaffery out of the transfer portal. Yup, Jack and Patrick McCaffery are brothers.

Which therefore makes them both the sons of Fran McCaffery. Crazy!

Patrick McCaffery played the first five years of his collegiate career for his father at Iowa.

Now that we got all that straight…

As for Jack McCaffery, he is the No. 73 overall recruit in the nation according to ESPN.com. According to On3, McCaffery is the No. 100 recruit in the class of 2025.

A 6-foot-8 power forward from West Senior (Iowa City, Iowa), he is an impressive shooter and rebounder who is a solid defender on and off the ball.

He moves well in transition and is a very impressive passer.

 

Jack McCaffery picked Butler over a very strong offer list that included Bryant, Utah, Virginia, VCU, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest among others.

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Butler Blue the bulldog rolled into his team’s Thanksgiving game on Lightning McQueen

Do you want to see Butler Blue the bulldog ride around on Lightning McQueen? Sure you do!

While his Butler Bulldogs were facing off with Florida Atlantic in the ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando, Florida, on Thanksgiving, Butler Blue IV the bulldog rolled into the game in style.

In fact, Butler Blue showed off his wheels as he rode in the back of a customized Lightning McQueen car on the court for all the folks at Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

We absolutely, positively approve of Butler Blue rolling around Disney World on Lightning McQueen at any park at any time.

That gets a hearty Thanksgiving Ka-Chow from us… and a very special head scratch for very good boy Butler Blue.

Thanksgiving is always special time of year, but it’s even more special when a bulldog rides around on a Pixar character from the Cars universe.

We don’t make the rules; Butler Blue wins Thanksgiving 2023. Submissions are closed; the goodest boy of Butler takes the turkey trophy for cuteness.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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Former Michigan State basketball guard Pierre Brooks II announces transfer to Butler

Pierre Brooks II will transfer to Butler

Back on March 29, Michigan State basketball guard Pierre Brooks II announced his transfer from Michigan State basketball. On Sunday, Brooks announced where he will be heading: Butler.

This should be a good fit for Brooks, who is a talented player and showed some promise in flashes for the Spartans.

Brooks averaged 3.6 points per game last year for the Spartans in 14.3 minutes per game.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

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Men’s NCAA tournament history repeats with two mid-majors, UConn set for Final Four in Houston

Two mid-majors playing in the Final Four in Houston. UConn also competing for a title. Is this 2023 or 2011??

One of the 2023 men’s NCAA tournament Final Four matchups is set in stone, and it’s the round’s first battle of non-major conferences since 2011.

No. 9 Florida Atlantic and No. 5 San Diego State are now set to square off in the Final Four of this year’s tournament. They’ll join Butler and VCU as the only other two mid-major teams to ever battle in March Madness’ last weekend.

Funny enough, that Butler/VCU matchup in 2011 was in Houston, Texas, and the winner of that game went on to face Connecticut.

Twelve years later, we’ve got a Final Four in Houston with two mid-major teams squaring off on one side of the bracket and Connecticut playing on the other side.

History might fully repeat itself in the most fascinating way if UConn wins the whole thing. It already is repeating itself with a few key parts.

We’ll see who else will join FAU, SDSU and UConn in the 2023 Final Four once we know the outcome of Texas/Miami.

UConn played Kentucky in its 2011 Final Four game, and the Huskies will get to play a Power Five team in Texas or Miami.

History really does repeat itself.

Providence vs Butler College Basketball Prediction, Game Preview

Providence vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Thursday.

Providence vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Thursday, March 10

Providence vs Butler Game Preview, Big East Tournament How To Watch

Date: Thursday, March 10
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
How To Watch: FS1
Record: Providence (24-4), Butler (14-18)
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Xavier vs Butler College Basketball Prediction, Game Preview

Xavier vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Wednesday.

Xavier vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Wednesday, March 9

Xavier vs Butler How To Watch

Date: Wednesday, March 9
Game Time: 4:30 ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
How To Watch: FS1
Record: Xavier (18-12), Butler (13-18)
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Xavier vs Butler Game Preview, Big East Conference Tournament

Why Xavier Will Win

There’s the Xavier we all knew and loved – even if it was just for a day.

It’s been a harsh February going 1-7 before hanging 97 on Georgetown just to show that the scoring punch really is there. As bad as things were before that, it all started with a win over Butler – the Musketeers beat the Bulldogs twice.

Xavier might be struggling, but Butler has collapsed losing its last five games with the offense falling flat and way too many problems on the boards. However …

– Latest Polls AP | Coaches

Why Butler Will Win

Xavier is having a hard time shooting from the outside.

It might have nailed everything against Georgetown, but who doesn’t?

It’s been impossible for the team to get to 30% from three on a regular basis, and Butler has to use the break to own the inside. As is, the Bulldogs are good at guarding the three.

On the other side, the offense has to hit from the outside. This is a much, much different team when it’s making its threes. It takes a ton of them, but it doesn’t make them.

Get to 40% from three, and Butler doesn’t lose. But …

– Top 25 Game Previews, Predictions

Xavier vs Butler: What’s Going To Happen

Xavier has only allowed five teams to get to 40% from three.

Again, neither team is playing all that well, but Xavier is scoring and Butler isn’t. The defenses should take over, but the Musketeers will be far, far more efficient and will be a wee bit stronger from the free throw line.

Xavier vs Butler Prediction, Lines

Xavier 66, Butler 59
Line: Xavier -5.5, o/u: 131
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5

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Must See Rating: 2

5: King Otto
1: Lost City

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2022 College Football Schedules: All 131 Teams

Villanova vs Butler College Basketball Prediction, Game Preview

Villanova vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might win on Saturday.

Villanova vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Saturday, March 5

Villanova vs Butler How To Watch

Date: Saturday, March 5
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
How To Watch: FOX
Record: Villanova (22-7), Butler (13-17)
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Providence vs Butler Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview

Providence vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Sunday.

Providence vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Sunday, February 20

Providence vs Butler How To Watch

Date: Sunday, February 20
Game Time: 1:00 ET
Venue: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
How To Watch: FS1
Record: Providence (21-3), Butler (13-14)
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Providence vs Butler Game Preview

Why Providence Will Win

The Friars lost in a shootout with Villanova, but they were red hot before that with eight straight wins and 16 in 17 including a 69-62 win over Butler.

They’ve been amazing from the field but they struggled from three against Villanova and couldn’t come up with enough big stops, but that’s not quite going to be the same problem against the Bulldogs.

Butler is shooting well over the last two games, but the defense doesn’t force enough mistakes and the scoring punch isn’t there.

Yeah, hanging 85 on Marquette was great and scoring 73 at DePaul was good, but it’s a fight for this team to get to 70 points.

Four of the last five teams Butler has played failed to turn it over ten times. However …

– Latest Polls AP | Coaches

Why Butler Will Win

Again, the Bulldogs are shooting well.

No, they can’t get into a wild shootout against the Friars, and they’re not going to win on the boards, but they’re making close to half of their shots in February.

No, Butler’s defense doesn’t force mistakes, but neither does Providence’s. Overall the Friar defense is good, but it doesn’t come up with takeaways, the offense doesn’t shoot a lot of threes, and the team is more about being steady than sensational.

But …

– Top 25 Game Previews, Predictions

What’s Going To Happen

Providence is great on the road.

It’s able to keep its head and maintain a steady hand in game after game, and again, it took a phenomenal shooting day from Villanova to get put the Friars down.

It’ll be close, and it’ll be a battle, but Butler won’t hit 40% from three like it will need to.

Providence vs Butler Prediction, Lines

Providence 67, Butler 64
Line: COMING, o/u: COMING
ATS Confidence out of 5: COMING

Must See Rating: 2.5

5: Myles Garrett – in basketball
1: DC League of Super-Pets

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2022 College Football Schedules: All 131 Teams

Marquette vs Butler Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview

Marquette vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Saturday.

Marquette vs Butler prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Saturday, February 12

Marquette vs Butler How To Watch

Date: Saturday, February 12
Game Time: 4:30 ET
Venue: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
How To Watch: FS1
Record: Marquette (16-8), Butler (11-13)
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Marquette vs Butler Game Preview

Why Marquette Will Win

More on this in a moment, but the Butler defense has been terrific at times lately and it’s still losing.

The games have been close, but the Bulldogs’ inability to do much on the boards and lack of scoring punch are a problem.

The free throws are falling lately, but that’s a tad bit of an aberration – for the year they don’t get to the line enough and don’t usually make them when they get there.

Marquette moves the ball around well, finds the open man without a problem, and it’s good enough defensively to come up with a whole lot of stops – the 80 points scored by UConn in its win a few days ago isn’t the norm.

However …

– Latest Polls AP | Coaches

Why Butler Will Win

It’s this simple for Marquette. When it hits its threes, it wins. When it doesn’t, it doesn’t.

The Golden Eagles are 10-0 when they make 38% or more from the outside, and they’re 6-8 when they don’t. Now they have to go against a Butler team that might have a whole slew of issues, but it’s terrific at stopping teams at hitting from three.

No one has made more than 24% from three in any of the last five games – Creighton made just 2-of-22 several days ago – and only four teams were able to get to the 38% mark.

– Top 25 Game Previews, Predictions

What’s Going To Happen

Butler has been really, really, really close finding something positive.

It might have lost three straight, but that was by a grand total of nine points. Marquette doesn’t have a problem on the road, and it’s more than fine dealing with low scoring tight games, and it’s going to have to deal with that again.

If Marquette gets hot from three for a stretch, forget it. It’ll win in a walk. It’ll take a few late free throws and key shots, though, to get out alive.

Marquette vs Butler Prediction, Lines

Marquette 66, Butler 62
Line: Marquette -3.5, o/u: 131.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

Must See Rating: 2.5

5: Super Bowl – the actual game
1: Super Bowl – everything else

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2022 College Football Schedules: All 131 Teams