Butler: How the hell do they do it?

[nicname]

Two years in a row in the final four.  These guys lost 9 times this year.  They lost to every good team they played.  They also lost to Valpo, got swept by Wisc. Milwaukee, etc.  How the hell can they turn it on in a win or go home tournament?  I don't get it.  Would they have this success in a 7 game playoff series?  OR do they just sleepwalk through their crappy conference?

WTF

[jtksu]

They didn't sleepwalk through their conference last year, did they?  I was thinking they only had like 4 losses?  Regardless, it doesn't really matter.  Just make sure you're playing your best ball when it counts, kinda like we did last year.

[pike]

They didn't sleepwalk through their conference last year, did they?  I was thinking they only had like 4 losses?  Regardless, it doesn't really matter.  Just make sure you're playing your best ball when it counts, kinda like we did last year.

Yeah they were on like a 20 game win streak and ranked in the top 10 when we faced them, IIRC.

Stevens is BITB and has a very bright future.

[nicname]

Yeah, I was more referring to their season this year.  They were solid last season. 

[Cire]

Elite defense.

[sys]

extremely physical defense, outstanding screening, good shooters, ridiculously lucky.

[wetwillie]

extremely physical defense, outstanding screening, good shooters, ridiculously lucky.

they had at least one opportunity for a 2-1 in the game against UF and didn't take it. I was pretty disappointed, thought for sure I'd see one with them.

[CNS]

the awkward white kid with the lack of a haircut and who's jersey doesn't fit him.  He is BU this year.  He is like Energy, but minus the occasional hindrance, and plus the ability.

[PowercatPat]

I was asking myself the same question. I think most of it is an unbelievable amount of luck. The first 2 rounds against ODU and especially Pitt are prime examples.

[CNS]

I was asking myself the same question. I think most of it is an unbelievable amount of luck. The first 2 rounds against ODU and especially Pitt are prime examples.

The Pitt win was a sham. The foul with 1.4 seconds left was a horrible call.  That game should have been decided in OT.  The ref responsible should be given the post-St.John's treatment.

[sys]

The Pitt win was a sham. The foul with 1.4 seconds left was a horrible call.  That game should have been decided in OT.  The ref responsible should be given the post-St.John's treatment.

it was absolutely the right call.  the pitt player grabbed his arm.  it's not a ref's job to save a player from his own stupidity.

[ChiComCat]

The Pitt win was a sham. The foul with 1.4 seconds left was a horrible call.  That game should have been decided in OT.  The ref responsible should be given the post-St.John's treatment.

It was no better/worse than the call to send the Pitt player to the line.  I have no problems with it.

[CNS]

The Pitt win was a sham. The foul with 1.4 seconds left was a horrible call.  That game should have been decided in OT.  The ref responsible should be given the post-St.John's treatment.

it was absolutely the right call.  the pitt player grabbed his arm.  it's not a ref's job to save a player from his own stupidity.

I recognize it was a foul.  However, it was a foul at the other end of the floor with 1.4 seconds left and the entire Pitt team between howard and the other goal 80' away.  If he got the rebound without incident, he had 0% chance to effect the game's outcome given position and time.  

Refs, coaches, and talking heads mention all the time in interviews how the refs hold the whistle on fouls at the end of the game unless they have an obvious impact on the game.  They usually don't want to help decide the game with a whistle.  If the exact same scenario played out on Butler's end of the court, I would be all for the call, but not on Pitt's end.  

Horrible call.  That ref decided the game due to a play that had no chance on deciding the game.

[ChiComCat]

The Pitt win was a sham. The foul with 1.4 seconds left was a horrible call.  That game should have been decided in OT.  The ref responsible should be given the post-St.John's treatment.

it was absolutely the right call.  the pitt player grabbed his arm.  it's not a ref's job to save a player from his own stupidity.

I recognize it was a foul.  However, it was a foul at the other end of the floor with 1.4 seconds left and the entire Pitt team between howard and the other goal 80' away.  If he got the rebound without incident, he had 0% chance to effect the game's outcome given position and time. 

Refs, coaches, and talking heads mention all the time in interviews how the refs hold the whistle on fouls at the end of the game unless they have an obvious impact on the game.  They usually don't want to help decide the game with a whistle.  If the exact same scenario played out on Butler's end of the court, I would be all for the call, but not on Pitt's end. 

Horrible call.  That ref decided the game due to a play that had no chance on deciding the game.

I get the swallow the whistle thing, but the officials made it clear on the Butler foul at half court that they weren't going to be swallowing their whistles.  The reaction by Howard to sell the foul and get the call shows that he was smart enough to know this.  The Pitt player fouling was not.  Howard maybe made the best play of the tourny with that one.

[CNS]

The Pitt win was a sham. The foul with 1.4 seconds left was a horrible call.  That game should have been decided in OT.  The ref responsible should be given the post-St.John's treatment.

it was absolutely the right call.  the pitt player grabbed his arm.  it's not a ref's job to save a player from his own stupidity.

I recognize it was a foul.  However, it was a foul at the other end of the floor with 1.4 seconds left and the entire Pitt team between howard and the other goal 80' away.  If he got the rebound without incident, he had 0% chance to effect the game's outcome given position and time. 

Refs, coaches, and talking heads mention all the time in interviews how the refs hold the whistle on fouls at the end of the game unless they have an obvious impact on the game.  They usually don't want to help decide the game with a whistle.  If the exact same scenario played out on Butler's end of the court, I would be all for the call, but not on Pitt's end. 

Horrible call.  That ref decided the game due to a play that had no chance on deciding the game.

I get the swallow the whistle thing, but the officials made it clear on the Butler foul at half court that they weren't going to be swallowing their whistles.  The reaction by Howard to sell the foul and get the call shows that he was smart enough to know this.  The Pitt player fouling was not.  Howard maybe made the best play of the tourny with that one.

I def don't hate howard for the flop.  Fully agree on that part.  Not my point.

[Clevey 2 Times]

The Pitt win was a sham. The foul with 1.4 seconds left was a horrible call.  That game should have been decided in OT.  The ref responsible should be given the post-St.John's treatment.

it was absolutely the right call.  the pitt player grabbed his arm.  it's not a ref's job to save a player from his own stupidity.

I recognize it was a foul.  However, it was a foul at the other end of the floor with 1.4 seconds left and the entire Pitt team between howard and the other goal 80' away.  If he got the rebound without incident, he had 0% chance to effect the game's outcome given position and time.  

Refs, coaches, and talking heads mention all the time in interviews how the refs hold the whistle on fouls at the end of the game unless they have an obvious impact on the game.  They usually don't want to help decide the game with a whistle.  If the exact same scenario played out on Butler's end of the court, I would be all for the call, but not on Pitt's end.  

Horrible call.  That ref decided the game due to a play that had no chance on deciding the game.

 


Seriously....

[yoga-like_abana]

He was fouled quit letting your inner tard get the best of you.

[Clevey 2 Times]

Two years in a row in the final four.  These guys lost 9 times this year.  They lost to every good team they played.  They also lost to Valpo, got swept by Wisc. Milwaukee, etc.  How the hell can they turn it on in a win or go home tournament?  I don't get it.  Would they have this success in a 7 game playoff series?  OR do they just sleepwalk through their crappy conference?

WTF

Butler did not get blown out all season. Their losses were all very close. They ended the year playing their best ball plus they all have tourney experience.

They would not win a 7 game series with the top programs in the country.
 
Shelvin Mack is highly underrated (maybe the best clutch player in the tourney) and I still cannot understand why Tubby Smith or Billy Gillespie did not even offer him considering he is from Lexington, KY.

Brad Stevens is a robot basketball genius who looks like he just had to start shaving this year.

[bubu54]

Come one guys...you talk to much and its right in front of you...they play hard yes...there is a little luck yes...but most of all the play smart...when we aren't good thats what we miss...dumb mistakes...

[CNS]

He was fouled quit letting your inner tard get the best of you.

not butt hurt about this at all.  just an opinion from watching a game I really didnt give a crap about.

[Cartierfor3]

He was fouled quit letting your inner tard get the best of you.

not butt hurt about this at all.  just an opinion from watching a game I really didnt give a cac about.

Pitt's player was tarded for fouling.  Blame him.

[Panjandrum]

extremely physical defense, outstanding screening, good shooters, ridiculously lucky.

Generally speaking, they don't turn the ball over much either.

[sys]

Generally speaking, they don't turn the ball over much either.

pretty good commonality among good teams.  in some ways, it's amazing how well kstate did this year considering how poor they were at limiting turnovers.

[Panjandrum]

Generally speaking, they don't turn the ball over much either.

pretty good commonality among good teams.  in some ways, it's amazing how well kstate did this year considering how poor they were at limiting turnovers.

I write it off to it being the best 3Pt shooting season KSU has had under Frank Martin.  It pushed up the eFG% and overcame some of that messy play.

[CNS]

He was fouled quit letting your inner tard get the best of you.

not butt hurt about this at all.  just an opinion from watching a game I really didnt give a cac about.

Pitt's player was tarded for fouling.  Blame him.

def was a dumb move on his part, and if I was a Pitt fan he would be getting a lot of blame from me.