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from Memphis...

Friday 03/24/2017
Butler vs North Carolina, 7:09pm.

Butler did yeomens' work this past weekend, with solid, uneventful, no-drama wins over very good Winthrop and Middle Tennessee teams. The Dawgs last played UNC in Atlantis i think, easily beating the Cheatin' Tarheels on their way to a tiurney win.

Speaking of the Cheatin' Tarheels, umm, like, why have they not been punished? Will 2 or 3 national championships of theirs be vacated? 2009 or 2010? 2005? 1993? '93 might be a stretch.

And UNC advanced as the only ACC team in the Sweet-16 due to some cheatin refs. The most ridiculous call being the Berry drive where he slammed a defender, held the ball like a loaf of bread, shuffled his feet 5 times, whipped an underhanded shot off the backboard, which was rebounded by a Cheatin Tarheel for a key layup. Around that same time, a Razorback got his hand slapped while his 3-pointer was released.

Butler has a balanced lineup of speed, strength, high hoops IQ, great shooting, great defense, and great coaching. Among many key matchups is Tyler Wideman beating up Kennedy Meeks on the glass. I'm looking for the Bulldogs and Musketeers to eventually meet up in the Final Four... or the National Final... just another game in the Big East.

rebounding is huge in this game....

team stats-
Butler- off reb 27.3% #240 UNC- off reb allowed 24.7% #21
UNC- off reb 42.2% #1 Butler- def reb allowed 26.8% #68

If Butler can keep the rebounding close, they have a good shot.

stever20 wrote:rebounding is huge in this game....

team stats-
Butler- off reb 27.3% #240 UNC- off reb allowed 24.7% #21
UNC- off reb 42.2% #1 Butler- def reb allowed 26.8% #68

If Butler can keep the rebounding close, they have a good shot.

Great point, Stever.

In addition, Carolina is #1 in 2-point field goal attempts and #1 in 2-point FG made. With their size, they will dominate if they can force the game to be played in the paint.

OTOH, Butler is #9 in turnover margin. If they can pressure the ball on the perimeter and force the game to be played there before the ball gets down low. If they can force turnovers, shut down the passing lanes, and collapse on the big men when the ball dows get inside, if they can get the game to be played on their terms, then they have a shot at a win.

In related news, UNC announced they have a new major in their business school. Sports Management...some of the courses:

SM 101 Teaching the NCAA Valuable Lessons in "amateur" sports
SM 201 Making NCAA Feel Powerful while simultaneously castrating them
SM 301 Smoke, Mirrors, and NCAA Rule-Dodging
SM 401 Daring the NCAA to Do Anything

Of course, attendance is optional as students are only semi-required to watch UNC administration make a mockery of the NCAA and its enforcement division.

If I was thinking ahead, I would have ordered a Butler shirt just to wear during this game.

I feel the magic. Butler with the "upset" tomorrow! LETS GO BIG EAST!!!!!

Butler's road ahead looks a lot harder than Xavier's, but it'd be super cool to have an all Big East championship.

Go Butler! Nuthin' better than kickin' the Nof Clickian - tarheels butts.

Butler University: "We are still here!" Go Bulldogs go.

Go get it Dogs! We are Butler! We are The Big East!

Winning this game would be so Butler.

anXUfan wrote:Winning this game would be so Butler.

As a fan who has witnessed everything in modern Butler basketball history, I do have a quiet confidence. Something just feels right about this team. That being said, North Carolina is a very, very good team.