Butler's older, better ... and stronger!
Posted: Thursday, November 12, 2009 9:05 PM
Filed Under:
Mid-majors
In case you didn’t know, or simply refused to live in reality, Butler’s one of the big boys in college hoops.
The Bulldogs have won 85 games the last three seasons, better than Duke, UConn or Michigan State. They’ve won the preseason NIT tournament, been to the Sweet 16 and figure to be entrenched in the Top 10 all season.
Chuck Burton/AP |
Matt Howard's already the Horizon player of the year. Now imagine him even stronger and more physical.
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I mean, they’re the only non-BCS school previewed by the folks at BP! C’mon! What else do you need? What about … strength training? How does Butler stack up to those BCS powerhouses?
The Bulldogs are working on it.
After an offseason of hitting the weights, coach Brad Stevens told the Indianapolis Star that the players are bigger and stronger than their predecessors. They bench press 282 pounds on average. Six exceed 300 pounds. And while bench-pressing really doesn’t help with those jump shots, there’s another reason.
Like last season’s NCAA tournament loss to LSU. The Bulldogs aren’t about to get pushed around again. According to guard Ronald Nored, the Tigers were “huge” and made more plays late in the game because of their size and strength.
"If we just take the time out to focus in the weight room, I think some of those plays are eliminated," Nored told the paper.
It’s not for everybody. Swingman Gordon Hayward didn’t want to lift, but couldn’t help himself. He didn’t bulk up, but teammates say he’s stronger and leaner.
So, to recap: Butler returns all five starters from a 26-6 team filled with talented young players who got stronger, thus improving their chances of finishing strong against BCS schools.
The other big boys should beware.
Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.
