2015 BUTLER BULLDOGS

FIRST LOOK

Butler opened fall practice in early October with a mix of optimism and enthusiasm. 

The optimism came with the return of 4 starters from last season and a fifth returning starter from two years ago. 

The enthusiasm was generated by 5 promising newcomers, including a pair of NCAA Division I transfers. Back from last year’s starting unit are leading scorer Kellen Dunham, leading rebounder Kameron Woods, assist and steals leader Alex Barlow and hard-working center Andrew Chrabascz. All four were in the starting lineup at the end of last season. 

Also back is junior Roosevelt Jones, who started 67 consecutive games for the Bulldogs before missing last season with a wrist injury. Jones finished among Butler’s top three players in scoring, rebounding and assists in 2012-13. 

Two additional returnees are senior guard Jackson Aldridge and sophomore Steven Bennett, both letterwinners a year ago. 

Joining the returning players are transfers Austin Etherington from Indiana and Tyler Lewis from North Carolina State, though Lewis will have to sit out this season. Both boast experience at the highest Division I level. 

Also joining the Bulldogs this season are a trio of talented freshmen, Kelan Martin from Louisville, Ky., Jackson Davis from Lexington, Ky., and Tyler Wideman from Schereville, Ind. All three were All-State performers last year, and each were among the top prep players in their respective state’s last year.

COACHING CHANGE

Two days before the Bulldogs opened practice this fall, Butler Vice President and Athletic Director Barry Collier announced that head coach Brandon Miller had requested and been granted a medical leave of absence. In Miller’s absence, assistant coach Chris Holtmann was named interim head coach. Holtmann previously had been head coach at Gardner-Webb for three seasons, earning Big South Conference and NABC District 3 Coach of the Year honors in 2012-13.

H O M E I M P R O V E M E N T

Hinkle Fieldhouse, the home of the Bulldogs, underwent a $36 million renovation this summer bringing about significant changes and upgrades the the 86-year-old historic facility. Highlights of the project included new offices and locker room suites for both men’s and women’s basketball, a new training room with a hydrotherapy area, a new student academic center, a new weight room, a new scoreboard with video playback capability, added and more comfortable chairback seating in the main arena, new administrative offices, wider concourses, added concession stands and restrooms and an elevator for public use and ADA accessibility. The project was completed in November. 

TOP COMPETITION

Butler again will tackle an ambitious schedule in 2014-15, including a trip to the rugged Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas and non-conference games against Big Ten foes Indiana and Northwestern and SEC opponent Tennessee. Butler’s first game at Atlantis will be against North Carolina, already mentioned in the “Top 10” in most preseason polls. 

In the second round of the eight-team tournament, the Bulldogs will face either UCLA or Oklahoma, while Wisconsin, Florida, UAB and Georgetown round out the tournament field. Butler will open BIG EAST play at defending champ Villanova on Dec. 31. 

RETURN ENGAGEMENT

Butler ’s toughest setback a year ago occurred before the season even began. Junior Roosevelt Jones suffered a broken wrist during the Bulldogs’ summer trip to Australia, and he was forced to sit out the entire 2013-14 season. 

Just one year earlier, Jones led the Bulldogs in assists, finished second in rebounding and wound up third in scoring, while helping Butler to a 27-9 campaign and the third round of the NCAA Tournament. He was named to the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Defensive and was chosen to the national “All-Glue” Team by Sports Illustrated. The versatile 6-4 forward was cleared to resume full workouts in June. 

SOPHOMORE SUCCESS

Guard Kellen Dunham became just the fifth Butler player to score 500 points in his sophomore season during Butler’s final home victory over Seton Hall last year. He wound up finishing the season in fifth place on Butler’s all-time sophomore scoring list with 508 points, 28 points behind current NBA player Shelvin Mack (2009-10) in the No. 4 spot. Dunham became just the 13th Butler sophomore to score 400 points in the Bulldogs’ game at Georgetown earlier in the season. 

BOARDING HOUSE

Kameron Woods climbed into the “Top 20” on Butler’s all-time rebounding list during the 2013-14 campaign. The Bulldogs’ top rebounder last year, Woods climbed into the No. 15 spot on the all-time list with 619 career rebounds. He trails J.P. Brens, 1989-93, in the No. 14 position by six rebounds, and he’s 56 rebounds shy of Butler’s all-time “Top 10.” Woods is one of just 16 Butler players with more than 600 career rebounds. 

LEAGUE LEADER

Junior Alex Barlow capped his best season in a Butler uniform by leading the BIG EAST in assist/turnover ratio in 2013-14. The former walk-on racked up a team-best 110 assists in 2013- 14, while committing only 36 turnovers, a 3.1 ratio. His ratio ranked 11th in the NCAA Division I. 

SCHOLAR ATHLETE

Junior Alex Barlow received one of the top BIG EAST individual honors at a press conference in Madison Square Garden just prior to the Bulldogs’ first game in the league tournament. The 5-11 Butler guard was named 2014 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was one of four individuals honored at the press conference, joining BIG EAST Player of the Year Doug McDermott of Creighton, BIG EAST Rookie of the Year Billy Garrett Jr. of DePaul and BIG EAST Coach of the Year Jay Wright of Villanova. 

Barlow, a business/finance major with a 3.73 grade point average, finished the season ranked among the BIG EAST leaders in assists, steals, and assist/turnover ratio and three-point field goal shooting. 

STEAL WILL

Point-guard Alex Barlow ranked second in the BIG EAST and stood among the “Top 50” players in the nation with 61 steals in 2013-14. 

His total tied Tim Bowen (1990-91) for the fifth-highest single season mark in Butler basketball history. Barlow had three or more steals in nine different games in 2013-14, including a career-high five thefts in Butler victories over Purdue and DePaul. He boosted his career total to 113 steals in three seasons and moved into 11th place on Butler’s all-time list for steals, five behind current NBA player Shelvin Mark, 2008-11. 

BLOCK PARTY

Junior Kameron Woods led the Bulldogs and ranked seventh in the BIG EAST in blocked shots with 30 in 2013-14. 

He moved into a tie with current NBA player Gordon Hayward for 13th place on Butler’s single season list for blocked shots. Hayward had 30 blocked shots in both 2008-09 and 2009-10. Woods also moved into fifth place on Butler’s all-time list with 93 career blocked shots, seven shy of J. P. Brens, 1989-93, in the No. 4 spot. 

ALL-BIG EAST

Sophomore Kellen Dunham and freshman Andrew Chrabascz became Butler’s first All-BIG EAST players, when the conference announced its postseason honors. 

Dunham, who ranked among the leading scorers and top three-point field goal shooters in the 10-team league, earned second team All-BIG EAST recognition. 

Chrabascz, a starter in ten of Butler’s final 11 games, was selected to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team. 

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (High School/Previous School) 

STARTERS

3 Alex Barlow*** G 5-11 187 Sr. Springboro, Ohio (Moeller) 

24 Kellen Dunham** G 6-6 185 Jr. Pendleton, Ind. (Pendleton Heights) 

21 Roosevelt Jones** F 6-4 227 Jr. O’Fallon, Ill. (O’Fallon) 

31 Kameron Woods*** F 6-9 200 Sr. Louisville,, Ky. (Eastern) 

45 Andrew Chrabascz* F 6-7 205 So. Portsmouth, R.I. (Cushing Academy) 

BENCH

0 Austin Etherington F 6-6 215 Gr. Cicero, Ind. (Hamilton Heights/Indiana) 

4 Tyler Wideman F 6-8 245 Fr. Schereville, Ind. (Lake Central) 

10 Trey Pettus G 6-4 195 So. St. Louis, Mo. (MICDS) 

11 Jackson Aldridge*** G 6-0 187 Sr. Sydney, Australia (Australia Institute of Sport) 

13 Jackson Davis F 6-8 210 Fr. Lexington, Ky. (Lafayette) 

25 Steven Bennett* G 6-2 175 So. New Castle, Ind. (Chrysler) 

30 Kelan Martin G-F 6-6 215 Fr. Louisville, Ky. (Ballard) 

*—Varsity letters earned. 

1 Tyler Lewis# G 5-11 170 Jr. Statesville, N.C. (Oak Hill Academy/North Carolina State) 

#--Transfer, will sit out the 2014-15 season.