| Butler Bulldogs men's basketball | |||||||||||||
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| University | Butler University | ||||||||||||
| First season | 1896–97 | ||||||||||||
| All-time record | 1,560–1,114 (.583) | ||||||||||||
| Head coach | Thad Matta (4th, 5th overall season) | ||||||||||||
| Conference | Big East | ||||||||||||
| Location | Indianapolis,Indiana | ||||||||||||
| Arena | Hinkle Fieldhouse (capacity: 9,100) | ||||||||||||
| Nickname | Bulldogs | ||||||||||||
| Student section | Dawg Pound | ||||||||||||
| Colors | Blue and white[1] | ||||||||||||
| Uniforms | |||||||||||||
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| NCAA tournament runner-up | |||||||||||||
| 2010,2011 | |||||||||||||
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| Conference tournament champions | |||||||||||||
| 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2010, 2011 | |||||||||||||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||||||||||||
| 1933, 1934, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 | |||||||||||||
| AAU National Championship | |||||||||||||
| 1924 | |||||||||||||
| Veteran Athletes of Philadelphia National Champions | |||||||||||||
| 1929 | |||||||||||||
TheButler Bulldogs men's basketball team representsButler University inIndianapolis,Indiana. The school's team currently competes in theBig East Conference. They play their home games atHinkle Fieldhouse.
Butler competed as part of theHorizon League since its founding, and played basketball in other regional conferences before that, including theMissouri Valley Conference. In 2012 they left the Horizon League for theAtlantic 10 and the year after, moved to theBig East.
Despite having played in amid-major conference, Butler rose to national prominence in the late 1990s. They ranked in most media polls for all but a few weeks from the2006–07 season to the2011–12 season, and competed in the postseason every year since 1997, except for 2004,2005, and2014. In the2010 NCAA tournament, Butler was the National runner-up toDuke, advancing to theNational Championship Game after defeatingMichigan State in theFinal Four.[2] With a total enrollment of only 4,500 students, Butler is the smallest school to play for a national championship since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in1985.[3] The Bulldogs also went to thechampionship game in the followingNCAA tournament, falling toUConn after defeatingVCU in the Final Four. With the victory over VCU, Butler became the first mid-major program to reach the championship game in successive seasons since1979, when seeding of the tournament began, and the only team from the state of Indiana to reach back-to-back championship games. The Bulldogs also won the National Championship in 1927, though it was before March Madness so it does not count for NCAA records.[2]
After spending one season in the Atlantic 10 Conference, Butler moved into the realigned basketball-only Big East Conference for the2013–14 season. Their first season was mediocre, finishing 9th out of 10 teams with a 14–17 record, their first losing record since2004–05. In theirsecond season, despite being picked to finish 7th, the Bulldogs surprised many by finishing tied for second place in theconference. Butler finished the2015–16 season in a tie for fourth place inBig East play with a record of 21–11, 10–8 in conference and receiving a bid to theNCAA tournament where they advanced to the Second Round.
Because of the school's history of basketball success, location in the heart of the land of "Hoosier Hysteria", and lack of a scholarship football program, the Butler University fan base is primarily basketball-oriented. Other athletics enjoy substantial followings of current students and alumni, but only basketball has garnered interest from a national audience.
Two studies estimated that television, print, and online news coverage of Butler's 2010 and 2011 appearances in the NCAA tournament championship game resulted in additional publicity for the university worth about $1.2 billion. In an example of the "Flutie effect", applications rose by 41% after the 2010 appearance.[4] In June 2011,USA Today ranked Butler as one of the top five colleges making use of social media.[5] Specific to basketball, Butler's mascot,Butler Blue,[6][7] the men's basketball program,[8] head coachThad Matta,[9] and other coaches have university-endorsedTwitter accounts. Also, online communities Butler Hoops[10] and /r/ButlerUniversity[11] exist to facilitate discussion among fans.
In recent years, the Butler program has also received national attention for its philosophy to the game, which it calls "The Butler Way". At its core, The Butler Way calls for complete commitment and exalts teamwork above self.[12]
The Bulldogs have appeared in 16NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 24–16.[13]
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | – | First Round Sweet Sixteen Regional Third Place Game | Bowling Green Kentucky Western Kentucky | W 56–55 L 60–81 W 87–86 |
| 1997 | No. 14 | First Round | No. 3Cincinnati | L 69–86 |
| 1998 | No. 13 | First Round | No. 4New Mexico | L 62–79 |
| 2000 | No. 12 | First Round | No. 5Florida | L 68–69OT |
| 2001 | No. 10 | First Round Second Round | No. 7Wake Forest No. 2Arizona | W 79–63 L 52–73 |
| 2003 | No. 12 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 5Mississippi State No. 4Louisville No. 1Oklahoma | W 47–46 W 79–71 L 54–65 |
| 2007 | No. 5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 12Old Dominion No. 4Maryland No. 1Florida | W 57–46 W 62–59 L 57–65 |
| 2008 | No. 7 | First Round Second Round | No. 10South Alabama No. 2Tennessee | W 81–61 L 71–76OT |
| 2009 | No. 9 | First Round | No. 8LSU | L 71–75 |
| 2010 | No. 5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | No. 12UTEP No. 13Murray State No. 1Syracuse No. 2Kansas State No. 5Michigan State No. 1Duke | W 77–59 W 54–52 W 63–59 W 63–56 W 52–50 L 59–61 |
| 2011 | No. 8 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | No. 9Old Dominion No. 1Pittsburgh No. 4Wisconsin No. 2Florida No. 11VCU No. 3Connecticut | W 60–58 W 71–70 W 61–54 W 74–71OT W 70–62 L 41–53 |
| 2013 | No. 6 | First Round Second Round | No. 11Bucknell No. 3Marquette | W 68–56 L 72–74 |
| 2015 | No. 6 | First Round Second Round | No. 11Texas No. 3Notre Dame | W 56–48 L 64–67OT |
| 2016 | No. 9 | First Round Second Round | No. 8Texas Tech No. 1Virginia | W 71–61 L 69–77 |
| 2017 | No. 4 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 13Winthrop No. 12Middle Tennessee No. 1North Carolina | W 76–64 W 74–65 L 80–92 |
| 2018 | No. 10 | First Round Second Round | No. 7Arkansas No. 2Purdue | W 79–62 L 73–76 |
*Following the introduction of the"First Four" round in 2011, the Round of 64 and Round of 32 were referred to as the Second Round and Third Round, respectively, from 2011 to 2015. Then from 2016 moving forward, the Round 64 and Round of 32 will be called the First and Second rounds, as they were prior to 2011.
The Bulldogs have appeared in tenNational Invitation Tournaments. Their combined record is 5–10.[14]
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | N/A | First Round | St. John's | L 69–76 |
| 1959 | N/A | First Round Quarterfinals | Fordham Bradley | W 94–80 L 77–83 |
| 1985 | N/A | First Round | Indiana | L 57–79 |
| 1991 | N/A | First Round | Wyoming | L 61–63 |
| 1992 | N/A | First Round | Purdue | L 56–82 |
| 1999 | N/A | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals | Bradley Old Dominion Clemson | W 51–50 W 75–68 L 69–89 |
| 2002 | N/A | First Round Second Round | Bowling Green Syracuse | W 81–69 L 65–66 |
| 2006 | #8 | Opening Round First Round | Miami (OH) Florida State | W 53–52 L 63–67 |
| 2019 | #5 | First Round | Nebraska | L 76–80 |
| 2024 | #4 | First Round | Minnesota | L 72–73 |
The Bulldogs have appeared in oneCollege Basketball Invitational. Their record is 2–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Delaware Penn Pittsburgh | W 75–58 W 63–53 L 62–68OT |
Butler has appeared in theCollege Basketball Crown once. Their overall record is 1–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | First Round Quarterfinals | Utah Boise State | W 86–84 L 93–100 |
NBA & ABA players who attended Butler University[15]
| Coach | Years | Win–loss | Win % | Conference titles | NCAA Tourn. appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan Page | 1920–1926 | 98–36 | .731 | 0 | |
| Tony Hinkle | 1926–1942; 1945–1970 | 560–392 | .588 | 6 | 1 |
| Frank Hedden | 1942–1945 | 18–15 | .545 | 0 | |
| George Theofanis | 1970–1977 | 79–105 | .429 | 2 | |
| Joe Sexson | 1977–1989 | 143–188 | .432 | 1 | |
| Barry Collier | 1989–2000 | 196–132 | .598 | 2 | 3 |
| Thad Matta | 2000–2001; 2022–present | 71–61 | .538 | 1 | 1 |
| Todd Lickliter | 2001–2007 | 131–61 | .682 | 3 | 2 |
| Brad Stevens | 2007–2013 | 166–49 | .772 | 4 | 5 |
| Brandon Miller | 2013–2014 | 14–17 | .452 | 0 | |
| Chris Holtmann | 2014–2017 | 70–31 | .693 | 0 | 3 |
| LaVall Jordan | 2017–2022 | 83–74 | .529 | 0 | 1 |
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
National Coach of the Year
All-Americans
(*) Denotes Honorable Mention | Academic All-Americans
(*) Denotes 1st team Academic All-American of the Year
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Horizon League Player of the Year
Horizon League Coach of the Year
| Indiana Collegiate Conference Player of the Year
Indiana Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year
MAC Most Valuable Player
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Information on the awards comes from the 2009–2010 media guide.[18]
Source[19]
| Rank | Name | Years | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chad Tucker | 1983–1988 | 2,321 |
| 2 | Kelan Martin | 2014–2018 | 2,047 |
| 3 | Darrin Fitzgerald | 1983–1987 | 2,019 |
| 4 | Kamar Baldwin | 2016–2020 | 1,956 |
| 5 | Kellen Dunham | 2012–2016 | 1,946 |
| 6 | Matt Howard | 2007–2011 | 1,939 |
| 7 | A. J. Graves | 2004–2008 | 1,807 |
| 8 | Lynn Mitchem | 1979–1983 | 1,798 |
| 9 | Darin Archbold | 1988–1992 | 1,744 |
| 10 | Billy Shepherd | 1969–1972 | 1,733 |
| 11 | Jermaine Guice | 1990–1994 | 1,607 |
| 12 | Darren Fowlkes | 1985–1989 | 1,543 |
| 13 | Roosevelt Jones | 2011–2013, 2014–2016 | 1,533 |
| 14 | Wayne Burris | 1973–1977 | 1,531 |
| 15 | Shelvin Mack | 2008–2011 | 1,527 |
| 16 | Jon Neuhouser | 1994–1998 | 1,485 |
| 17 | Bobby Plump | 1954–1958 | 1,439 |
| 18 | Keith Greve | 1951–1954, 1957–1958 | 1,400 |
| 19 | Jeff Blue | 1961–1964 | 1,392 |
| 20 | Rylan Hainje | 1998–2002 | 1,388 |
| 21 | Khyle Marshall | 2010–2014 | 1,373 |
Sources of information[20][21][19]
| Season | Tournament | Results |
|---|---|---|
| 1923–24 | AAU National Tournament | W vs. Schooley-Woodstock 34–29 W vs. Hillyards 35–29 W vs. Kansas St. Teachers 40–21 W vs. K. C. Athletic Club 30–26 |
| 1947–48 | Hoosier Classic | W vs. Purdue 52–50 W vs. Indiana 64–51 |
| 1948–49 | Hoosier Classic | W vs. Indiana 64–55 W vs. Purdue 47–43 |
| 1960–61 | Hoosier Classic | W vs. Illinois 70–68 W vs. Purdue 65–63 |
| 1996–97 | MCC Tournament | W vs. Milwaukee 48–36 W vs. Green Bay 57–52OT W vs. UIC 69–68 |
| 1997–98 | MCC Tournament | W vs. Loyola 62–53 W vs. Wright State 67–48 W vs. Green Bay 70–51 |
| 1999–00 | MCC Tournament | W vs. Loyola 61–57 W vs. Milwaukee 65–51 W vs. Detroit 62–43 |
| 2000–01 | MCC Tournament | W vs. Loyola 78–52 W vs. Wright State 66–58 W vs. Detroit 53–38 |
| 2001–02 | Top of the World Classic | W vs. Radford 73–56 W vs. Delaware 76–59 W vs. Washington 67–64 |
| 2001–02 | Hoosier Classic | W vs. Samford 45–37 W vs. Indiana 66–64 |
| 2006–07 | NIT Tip-Off | W vs. Notre Dame 71–69 W vs. Indiana 60–55 W vs. Tennessee 56–44 W vs. Gonzaga 79–71 |
| 2007–08 | Great Alaska Shootout | W vs. Michigan 79–65 W vs. Virginia Tech 84–78 W vs. Texas Tech 81–71 |
| 2007–08 | Horizon League Tournament | W vs. Illinois-Chicago 66–50 W vs.Cleveland State 70–55 |
| 2009–10 | Horizon League Tournament | W vs.Milwaukee 68–59 W vs. Wright State 70–45 |
| 2010–11 | Diamond Head Classic | W vs. Utah 74–62 W vs.Florida State 67–64 W vs.Washington State 84–68 |
| 2010–11 | Horizon League Tournament | W vs.Cleveland State 76–68 W vs.Milwaukee 59–44 |
| 2016–17 | Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational | W vs.Vanderbilt 76–66 W vs.Arizona 69–65 |
| 2019–20 | CBE Hall of Fame Classic | W vs.Missouri 63–52 W vs.Stanford 68–67 |
| 2024–25 | Arizona Tip-Off | W vs.Northwestern 71–69 W vs.Mississippi State 87–77 |
| 2025–26 | Greenbrier Tip-Off | W vs.South Carolina 79–72 W vs.Virginia 80–73 |
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