Roughly a year ago the Butler Bulldogs were picked to finish fifth in the Horizon League with just one player listed on the pre-season all-league teams, incorrectly at that. As has become the norm, though, the Bulldogs reeled off another 20-win season and were playing for the regular season title on the last day of the season. The Bulldogs also advanced to post-season play for the eighth time in ten years and, per usual, scored a win in the post-season.
This season the Bulldogs lose the Horizon League player of the year in Brandon Polk. The 6’6” forward led the club in scoring and was the most dominant inside presence in the league. Also gone is the club’s top three-point shooter in Bruce Horan and heady point guard Avery Sheets.
Head coach Todd Lickliter has done a marvelous job over the years getting the most out of his often undermanned and undersized team. This year might be his toughest challenge yet as newcomers and former role players will be thrust into the spotlight. But to question the Bulldogs ability to compete in the Horizon League over the past decade has been an exercise in futility.
Two starters return for the Bulldogs this season. Junior guard A.J. Graves was the club’s second leading scorer a season ago. A tough defender and excellent shooter, Graves will be counted on to provide the Bulldogs with leadership as several players make the transition into new roles.
With the departure of Polk there will be pressure on senior forward Brandon Crone to become the anchor the Bulldogs need in the paint. Crone had a very good year last season putting up almost ten points a game and grabbing a team high five rebounds per contest. With the Bulldogs depth a concern in the frontcourt, he will need to be more consistent with his play if the Bulldogs hope to contend for the top third of the conference.
Fellow senior forward Brian Ligon saw action in all 33 games last season seeing about 14 minutes of time per contest. Ligon is an aggressive player who has a nose for rebounding but his aggressiveness gets him into foul trouble at times. If he can keep it under control, he has an impressive average of nearly nine rebounds per 40 minutes.
IPFW transfer Pete Campbell stands 6’7” and has some scoring ability. At IPFW he led the club with 65 three-pointers in 2004-05, hitting the tree-point shot at a 38% clip. Freshman Elliot Engelmann stands 6’7” and has been described as having the ability to score both inside and out.
In the backcourt several players will see time alongside Graves. Towson transfer Mike Green will fit right in to the Butler style of basketball. His last season at Towson he scored almost 12 points a game with better than four assists per contest, while leading the club in three-point field goals. Green, at 6’1” 175 pounds is a tough defender who will see plenty of action.
Senior Julian Betko saw time in all 33 games last season for the Bulldogs. The 6’5” swingman struggled a bit shooting the ball hitting just under 24% from three-point range.
Freshman Grant Leiendecker was considered among the top 10-15 players in the state of Indiana his senior year. Surprisingly enough, Leiendecker is considered to be a first rate shooter. Senior Marcus Nellems played in 24 games a season ago, but didn’t see much action in Horizon League play. Freshman wing Willie Veasley is described as a strong and versatile player who can do a bit of everything.
The Bulldogs will face a difficult challenge this season as the Horizon League has several strong and experienced teams vying for the top. The Bulldogs seemingly always find a way to be there at the end, however. With depth and inexperience an issue this season the Bulldogs may be hard pressed to continue their success in the Horizon League this season but, it is a mistake to count out coach Lickliter and the Butler brand of basketball.
--Joe Dlugosz is the editor of Ramblermania.com, a website dedicated to Loyola-Chicago sports information. For more of Joe's writing, visit: www.ramblermania.com --ed.
