Butler's Jones questionable for pivotal game against Villanova
By most measurements, Butler has transitioned successfully from the Horizon League to the Atlantic 10 to the Big East.
The Bulldogs made the 2013 NCAA tournament in their lone A-10 season, beating two No. 1 seeds (Indiana and Gonzaga) during the season. They nearly knocked off Notre Dame in the 2015 NCAA Round of 32. They tied for second in the Big East a year ago and last month reached No. 9 in Associated Press rankings (their second-highest ranking ever).
Yet how hard life has been since leaving the Horizon is underscored by this statistic: 0-12.
That is Butler?s record against the top two teams in its league, not including losses this season to Providence and Xavier. (It also doesn?t include a non-league Bahamas victory over Georgetown, which tied Butler for second last year.)
The Bulldogs, whose Horizon champs rarely lost at home, have also struggled to protect home court. In three-plus seasons, they are 14-13 in league home games.
?Everybody knows it?s a different day in league play for Butler,? coach Chris Holtmann said. ?There are never, ever going to be easy nights in this league.?
It will be especially hard Sunday night. The No. 18 Bulldogs likely will be without Roosevelt Jones when they meet No. 11 Villanova at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Butler announced Saturday that Jones is questionable for the game after he sprained his left wrist Thursday in practice. It is the same wrist in which he tore ligaments, causing him to miss the 2013-14 season. Jones, one of 35 players on the midseason watch list for the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award, ranks in the top 10 of the Big East in five statistical categories.
Holtmann said an MRI late Friday night revealed Jones had a bone bruise and sprain. Jones could not catch a basketball Friday, the coach said, but could on Saturday.
"I'm thinking long term more than anything," Holtmann said, adding that he does not want Jones to worsen the injury with more than half a season left.
At 1-2, another defeat could effectively knock Butler out of the race for first place. Even if the league champion is, say, 14-4, Butler would have to finish out 13-1.
If the Bulldogs can finally beat Villanova ? which is 5-0 against them ? they would drop Nova to 3-1 and retain legitimate title hopes.
Holtmann said he didn?t want Butler to be ?a prisoner of the moment,? good or bad. It?s all about continuous growth, he said. For instance, he pointed out that a year ago at this time, eventual NCAA champion Duke lost at home 90-74 to Miami (Fla.).
?Our challenge is just us improving and not necessarily comparing ourselves to anybody else in the league,? Holtmann said. ?That?s for other people to do.?
Butler does not compare favorably to Villanova.
In Ken Pomeroy's team rankings, Villanova is No. 2 and Butler No. 33. In defensive efficiency, Villanova is sixth and Butler 186th.
Villanova is first in Big East play in scoring (84.0), and Butler is last in defense (80.3). Villanova is first in field goal percentage (.552) and Butler is eighth (.425). Villanova is first (.400) and Butler ninth (.491) in field goal defense. And so on.
On the other hand, the Wildcats have two narrow escapes at Hinkle Fieldhouse, winning 76-73 in overtime two years ago and 68-65 last year.
Holtmann said he doesn?t follow standings and occupies his mind with the next game. Whether it?s the first-place or last-place team, his pregame ordeal is the same.
?Ask my wife. She sees me sweat bullets over every single one of them,? he said. ?That?s life in a power conference.?
By most measurements, Butler has transitioned successfully from the Horizon League to the Atlantic 10 to the Big East.
The Bulldogs made the 2013 NCAA tournament in their lone A-10 season, beating two No. 1 seeds (Indiana and Gonzaga) during the season. They nearly knocked off Notre Dame in the 2015 NCAA Round of 32. They tied for second in the Big East a year ago and last month reached No. 9 in Associated Press rankings (their second-highest ranking ever).
Yet how hard life has been since leaving the Horizon is underscored by this statistic: 0-12.
That is Butler?s record against the top two teams in its league, not including losses this season to Providence and Xavier. (It also doesn?t include a non-league Bahamas victory over Georgetown, which tied Butler for second last year.)
The Bulldogs, whose Horizon champs rarely lost at home, have also struggled to protect home court. In three-plus seasons, they are 14-13 in league home games.
?Everybody knows it?s a different day in league play for Butler,? coach Chris Holtmann said. ?There are never, ever going to be easy nights in this league.?
It will be especially hard Sunday night. The No. 18 Bulldogs likely will be without Roosevelt Jones when they meet No. 11 Villanova at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Butler announced Saturday that Jones is questionable for the game after he sprained his left wrist Thursday in practice. It is the same wrist in which he tore ligaments, causing him to miss the 2013-14 season. Jones, one of 35 players on the midseason watch list for the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award, ranks in the top 10 of the Big East in five statistical categories.
Holtmann said an MRI late Friday night revealed Jones had a bone bruise and sprain. Jones could not catch a basketball Friday, the coach said, but could on Saturday.
"I'm thinking long term more than anything," Holtmann said, adding that he does not want Jones to worsen the injury with more than half a season left.
At 1-2, another defeat could effectively knock Butler out of the race for first place. Even if the league champion is, say, 14-4, Butler would have to finish out 13-1.
If the Bulldogs can finally beat Villanova ? which is 5-0 against them ? they would drop Nova to 3-1 and retain legitimate title hopes.
Holtmann said he didn?t want Butler to be ?a prisoner of the moment,? good or bad. It?s all about continuous growth, he said. For instance, he pointed out that a year ago at this time, eventual NCAA champion Duke lost at home 90-74 to Miami (Fla.).
?Our challenge is just us improving and not necessarily comparing ourselves to anybody else in the league,? Holtmann said. ?That?s for other people to do.?
Butler does not compare favorably to Villanova.
In Ken Pomeroy's team rankings, Villanova is No. 2 and Butler No. 33. In defensive efficiency, Villanova is sixth and Butler 186th.
Villanova is first in Big East play in scoring (84.0), and Butler is last in defense (80.3). Villanova is first in field goal percentage (.552) and Butler is eighth (.425). Villanova is first (.400) and Butler ninth (.491) in field goal defense. And so on.
On the other hand, the Wildcats have two narrow escapes at Hinkle Fieldhouse, winning 76-73 in overtime two years ago and 68-65 last year.
Holtmann said he doesn?t follow standings and occupies his mind with the next game. Whether it?s the first-place or last-place team, his pregame ordeal is the same.
?Ask my wife. She sees me sweat bullets over every single one of them,? he said. ?That?s life in a power conference.?
