NCAA Tournament March Madness

#68 Butler

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Projection: likely out

Butler's season paints a picture of a team on the bubble's outer edge; it's a squad that didn't quite rise to the occasion against the big guns but displayed flashes of potential. Looking at their resume, a victory over Marquette distinctly stands out, as do the dual successes against Xavier -- one in the regular season and a narrow fight in the conference tournament. The close loss to a dominant Connecticut team shows they can hang tough with elite competition, even in a losing effort. However, stumbles against teams like Seton Hall and Villanova, coupled with an anxiety-inducing setback against St. John's, suggest inconsistency. The nail in the coffin might well be their lack of statement wins out of conference, with a loss to Michigan State that could have served as a season-defining triumph. The Bulldogs' inconsistent defense, which didn't hold up against some of the Big East’s offensive powerhouses, could be a lingering concern in evaluating their tournament readiness. While there are commendable facets to Butler's season, the overall picture might not be compelling enough to punch a ticket to the dance without a selection committee favoring their high points.

Date Opponent Ranking Outcome
11/6E Michigan322W94-55
11/10SE Missouri St349W91-56
11/13ETSU167W81-47
11/17@Michigan St28L74-54
11/23(N)FL Atlantic31L91-86
11/24(N)Penn St85W88-78
11/26(N)Boise St59W70-56
11/30Texas Tech38W103-95
12/5Buffalo357W72-59
12/9California120W97-90
12/19Georgetown219W74-64
12/23@Providence52L85-75
1/2@St John's36L86-70
1/5Connecticut1L88-81
1/10@Marquette11W69-62
1/13Seton Hall56L78-72
1/16@Xavier55L85-71
1/20DePaul308W74-60
1/23@Georgetown219W90-66
1/27Villanova42W88-81
2/2@Creighton12W99-98
2/6@Connecticut1L71-62
2/10Providence52W75-72
2/13Marquette11L78-72
2/17Creighton12L79-57
2/20@Villanova42L72-62
2/24@Seton Hall56L76-64
2/28St John's36L82-59
3/2@DePaul308W82-63
3/6Xavier55W72-66
3/13(N)Xavier55L76-72