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Here is a story from by Terry from today's Argus:
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...09/1002/SPORTS
Butler provides SDSU with road map
By Terry Vandrovec
tvandrovec@argusleader.com
Published: January 16, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS - It's official because ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas said so: Butler is the best mid-major team in the country.
And to think, the Bulldogs (15-2), now ranked 12th nationally, were picked to finish sixth in the nine-team Horizon League.
Life as a mid major - even the best mid major - can be tenuous.
And since South Dakota State's hope is to eventually become a strong mid-major itself, Butler's story could be very applicable.
"I inherited a really good foundation that had a lot of success," Butler coach Todd Lickliter said. "Once you've had that you want to not only uphold it - this group's exceeded it in a lot of ways."
From 1996-97 through 2002-03, the Bulldogs went 167-59 and earned seven consecutive postseason bids. But the next two seasons they won only as much as they lost (29).
Butler recovered last season, going 20-13 and returning to the postseason, yet nobody could have predicted what's happened this season. The Bulldogs are 15-2, highlighted by beating Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee and Gonzaga to win the preseason NIT.
So why the slide and how has it been reversed? After all, Butler is a small school (4,300 students) with a small budget (234th in NCAA Division I in 2004-05) located in a big city, an advantage that, as Missouri-Kansas City can attest, doesn't guarantee success.
"A huge difference for us is Brandon Crone and Brian Ligon," Lickliter, a Butler alum, said of two of his big, beefy frontliners. "They were our leaders as sophomores. That's a hard thing to do, and they did a great job. We didn't have a senior and now they're seniors. They've got a great passion and a desire toplay the game the right way and to have success, and they're going to demand it of their teammates. I think there's a process there."
In 2004-05, Butler didn't have a single senior. This season, seven of its top eight players are upperclassmen and four of them have been regulars for at least three years. . . . (read more)
Sound like any team we know?
8-) Like I said, I like our chances (if things fall right) in '08-'09!
Go State!
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...09/1002/SPORTS
Butler provides SDSU with road map
By Terry Vandrovec
tvandrovec@argusleader.com
Published: January 16, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS - It's official because ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas said so: Butler is the best mid-major team in the country.
And to think, the Bulldogs (15-2), now ranked 12th nationally, were picked to finish sixth in the nine-team Horizon League.
Life as a mid major - even the best mid major - can be tenuous.
And since South Dakota State's hope is to eventually become a strong mid-major itself, Butler's story could be very applicable.
"I inherited a really good foundation that had a lot of success," Butler coach Todd Lickliter said. "Once you've had that you want to not only uphold it - this group's exceeded it in a lot of ways."
From 1996-97 through 2002-03, the Bulldogs went 167-59 and earned seven consecutive postseason bids. But the next two seasons they won only as much as they lost (29).
Butler recovered last season, going 20-13 and returning to the postseason, yet nobody could have predicted what's happened this season. The Bulldogs are 15-2, highlighted by beating Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee and Gonzaga to win the preseason NIT.
So why the slide and how has it been reversed? After all, Butler is a small school (4,300 students) with a small budget (234th in NCAA Division I in 2004-05) located in a big city, an advantage that, as Missouri-Kansas City can attest, doesn't guarantee success.
"A huge difference for us is Brandon Crone and Brian Ligon," Lickliter, a Butler alum, said of two of his big, beefy frontliners. "They were our leaders as sophomores. That's a hard thing to do, and they did a great job. We didn't have a senior and now they're seniors. They've got a great passion and a desire toplay the game the right way and to have success, and they're going to demand it of their teammates. I think there's a process there."
In 2004-05, Butler didn't have a single senior. This season, seven of its top eight players are upperclassmen and four of them have been regulars for at least three years. . . . (read more)
Sound like any team we know?
8-) Like I said, I like our chances (if things fall right) in '08-'09!Go State!
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