2011–12 Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team

2011 recruiting class

Roster

• Brad Stevens ()
• Matthew Graves ()
• Terry Johnson ()
• Michael Lewis () Source: 2011–12 Butler Men's Basketball Roster

Schedule

|- !colspan=12 style="background:#13294B; color:#FFFFFF;"| Exhibition |- !colspan=12 style="background:#13294B; color:#FFFFFF;" | Non-conference regular season |- !colspan=12 style="background:#13294B; color:#FFFFFF;" | Horizon League Play |- !colspan=12 style="background:#13294B; color:#FFFFFF;"|Horizon League tournament |- !colspan=12 style="background:#13294B; color:#FFFFFF;"|College Basketball Invitational |- Source: 2011–12 Butler Bulldogs men's basketball schedule

Rankings

Main article: 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

Preseason

Departures

Preseason rankings

Preseason awards

Preseason game capsules

11/2 – Butler vs Northern State

Butler Falls On Buzzer-Beater

Senior guard Alex Thomas nailed a three-point field goal at the buzzer to cap a 12–0 closing run and lift visiting Northern State to a 53–50 victory over Butler in an exhibition game at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Nov. 2. The game was Butler's first test against outside competition. The Wolves battled back from a 50–41 deficit in the final four minutes. A steal and layup by Seth Bachand and a conventional three-point play by Trent Zomer cut the margin to 50–46 with 2:56 left. Forward Collin Pryor followed with back-to-back baskets to tie the game at 50–50 with 0:52 left. Butler's Andrew Smith, who led all scorers with 19 points missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw situation with 0:38 left, setting up the final play. Following a timeout, Northern State held the ball for a final shot and Thomas delivered from the top of the key as the final buzzer sounded.

11/4 – Butler vs Franklin

Butler Rolls Past Franklin In Exhibition Tilt

Junior Andrew Smith led four players in double-figures with 19 points in 17 minutes and Butler pulled away to a 91–53 victory over visiting Franklin in an exhibition game at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday, Nov. 5. The game was Butler's final preseason test. Smith, who also led Butler with 19 points in a 53–50 loss to Northern State three days earlier, hit seven of nine shots in his brief stint, including one of two from beyond the three-point arc. The 6–11 center was perfect on four free throw attempts, and he added three assists. There was plenty of support for the Butler scoring leader. Junior Chase Stigall (below left) hit four of six shots from three-point range and finished with 14 points, while freshman Andrew Smeathers came off the bench and hit three of five three-pointers and finished with 11 points. Freshman guard Jackson Aldridge had 10 points in a reserve stint.

Regular season

11/12 – Butler at Evansville

Butler Falls In Overtime At Evansville

Junior Colt Ryan tied the game with a free throw in regulation and then scored his team's final six points in overtime to lift host Evansville to an 80–77 overtime victory over Butler in the season-opener for both teams at the new Ford Center on Saturday, Nov. 12. Between Ryan's clutch points, the game took a bizarre twist. Butler led 69–68 with Evansville in possession and 0:15 remaining. The Aces' Ned Cox missed a jump shot with 0:07 remaining and there was a loose ball scramble for the rebound. Butler's Jackson Aldridge was whistled for a foul with 0:00.9 left, sending Ryan to the line. The Evansville scoring leader missed the first free throw, but made the second to tie the game. Butler's Emerson Kampen then threw a full-court pass to center Andrew Smith, who caught the ball and laid it in at the buzzer for an apparent game-winning shot. The game officials huddled, and claimed a foul was called before the shot, sending Smith to the free throw line with 0:00.2 left. Smith missed both shots, forcing the overtime period.

11/15 – Butler vs Chattanooga

Bulldogs Win Home-Opener

Junior Andrew Smith recorded his second career double-double and Butler used a staunch defensive effort to dispatch visiting Chattanooga, 57–46, in the Bulldogs' 2011–12 home-opener at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Nov. 15. The game was Butler's first in the five-team Hoosier Invitational. Smith (below), a 6–11 center, led both teams with 16 points, hitting five of eight shots from the field and five of seven from the free throw line. He also led both teams with 10 rebounds, one off his career-high. His performance followed a 21-point effort in Butler's tough season-opening double-overtime loss at Evansville. But it was Butler's defensive effort that claimed the spotlight. The Bulldogs limited Chattanooga (0–2), a team favored in the Southern Conference, to just 19 points in the second half. The Mocs scored just six points in the final 13 minutes of the contest.

11/19 – Butler vs #8/7 Louisville

Second Half Lifts No. 7 Louisville Past Butler

Seniors Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith combined for 32 points and sparked a late second half run that lifted No. 7 Louisville to a 69–53 victory over Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday, Nov. 19. The win boosted the Cardinals to 3–0 on the season, while Butler fell to 1–2. Butler held a 41–40 advantage with 12 minutes remaining, when Kuric and Smith ignited a decisive 16–4 run. Kuric scored 10 points in the six-minute run, while Smith added the other six to give the Cardinals a 56–45 advantage. Butler never got closer than nine points in the final six minutes.

References

References

1. "Hinkle Fieldhouse". Butler University.
2. "Hinkle Fieldhouse Floor Update – Late August 2011". Butler University.
3. "Butler to compete in Atlantic 10 a year ahead of schedule". Gannett.
4. (10 October 2011). "Butler Rebuilds but Remains Top Dog". USA Today.
5. Borzello, Jeff. "College Basketball Horizon League Preview". CBS.
6. "Basketball Recruiting – Roosevelt Jones – Player Profiles – ESPN". ESPN.com.
7. "Basketball Recruiting – Kameron Woods – Player Profiles – ESPN". ESPN.com.
8. Goodman, Jeff. "Turnover aside, don't be surprised to see Butler in March". CBS.
9. "2011–12 Butler Bulldogs men's basketball roster". Butler University.
10. "2011–12 Butler Bulldogs men's basketball schedule". Butler University.
11. [http://horizonleague.org/blog/butler-chosen-favorite-for-third-straight-year-detroits-mccallum-voted-player-of-the-year-in-preseason-poll.html Men's Basketball Preseason Poll Release] {{Webarchive. link. (2011-11-16 , [[Horizon League]], retrieved 2011-October-28.)
12. [http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2011-12/releases/20111102v9a0le Butler Falls On Buzzer-Beater] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-03-05 [[Butler Bulldogs). Butler University – The Official Athletics Site]], retrieved 2011-Nov-06
13. [http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2011-12/releases/20111105f1fopw Butler Rolls Past Franklin In Exhibition Tilt] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-03-05 [[Butler Bulldogs). Butler University – The Official Athletics Site]], retrieved 2011-Nov-06
14. [http://butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2011-12/releases/20111112uyygkv Butler Falls In Overtime At Evansville] {{Webarchive. link. (2012-04-03 [[Butler Bulldogs). Butler University – The Official Athletics Site]], retrieved 2011-Nov-15
15. [http://butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2011-12/releases/20111115raidfb Bulldogs Win Home-Opener] {{Webarchive. link. (2012-04-03 [[Butler Bulldogs). Butler University – The Official Athletics Site]], retrieved 2011-Nov-15
16. [http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2011-12/releases/2011111952gsmk Second Half Lifts No. 7 Louisville Past Butler] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-03-05 [[Butler Bulldogs). Butler University – The Official Athletics Site]], retrieved 2011-Nov-19