Butler vs. University of Chicago (DIII) (Exhibition)

[Xudash]

I will never be "down" on Butler. I am excited about being back in a Conference with such a great program. Anybody here who has been thinking of relegating the Bulldogs to perennial basement occupancy in the Big East will eventually eat their words. The same is true for those who doubt Creighton's lasting ability in this league. The Blue Jays are not a a 1-pony (Doug McDermott) circus. We have a Conference that has potential galore. Some, seemingly, have to climb down off their freaking ivory towers simply because they have shared Conference membership with the likes of Georgetown, Syracuse, UConn, Louisville, and Villanova. Let's let this Conference grow into the great Conference that it will become before we relegate it to mid-major level. We will likely get as many as five teams into "The Show" in 2015 and send a couple to at least the Sweet Sixteen. In the future, we'll send two to the Final Four and win it all within eight years.

Be patient. Don't demean the Conference or any of its members. Our time will come. We have populated our League with consistent winners. The others must follow suit in the OOC and hold their own in Conference. We simply can't afford to have the likes of perennial losers in our League like those in other Conferences. Programs can be "down" for a year or two but must rebound quickly enough to at least hold serve in the OOC each year so that they come into Conference play with decent RPI's.

I am excited to be in the Big East. Fans of the Butler Bulldogs and Creighton Blue Jays feel the same. If fans of the C-7 spend any time and energy lamenting the loss of programs like Louisville and UConn, you are simply "spinning your wheels" for no apparent reason. Rejoice in putting together BY FAR the very best basketball-centric conference in the nation and be aware that it has excelled, and will continue to outdo, a number of the supposed Power 5 Conferences in the nation.

Well done nick.

And great job Butler!

I am especially excited about your attendance number. It means something on the business side of things.

This thread is about Butler's scrimmage, so I don't want to expose myself to an hilarious - and justified - Gumby dig by detracting from Butler's good initial result, but expanding upon nick's point for a minute: have a little vision and patience. Butler will work through the coaching situation, if they haven't already, and make the adjustment from jumping from the Horizon League to a conference of this stature. DePaul, with the new facility and, hopefully, a new athletic administration at some point soon that gets it, will come back alive, and bring CHICAGO along for the ride. Finally, imagine both St. John's and Seton Hall cranking back up.

This conference is headed for some really good times.

Back to Butler: no injuries, and may this interim coach help us to forget Brad Stevens and Brandon Miller.

[Irishdawg]

A big reason for the attendance number was family weekend. I really do hope this trend continues, but oftentimes their family weekend attendance is much better than what you'd normally see for a game.

Family Weekend games the past 3 years:

14-15 - Chicago (exhibition) - 8,684
13-14 - Lamar - 9,617
12-13 - Indianapolis (exhibition) - 8,163

[HoosierPal]

A big reason for the attendance number was family weekend. I really do hope this trend continues, but oftentimes their family weekend attendance is much better than what you'd normally see for a game.

Family Weekend games the past 3 years:

14-15 - Chicago (exhibition) - 8,684
13-14 - Lamar - 9,617
12-13 - Indianapolis (exhibition) - 8,163

Seating capacity at Hinkle has been lowered from 10,000 to 9,100. So almost the same % fill rate for past two years.