Big East Basketball: 5 biggest questions for rest of 2019-20 season
3. Are the Butler Bulldogs a legit Final Four threat?
Washington
My answer would be “yes” because of their experience. Butler can put out two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore at any time. That experience also translates on both sides of the floor. Kamar Baldwin leads them in scoring and shoots a respectable 36% from the three-point line. Baldwin is surrounded by three players that all shoot over 50% from the floor: Sean McDermott, Bryce Nze, and Bryce Golden. Defensively, the Bulldogs have been just as good. They’ve held six opponents under 55 points, winning five of them.
Foley
Legit might be too strong of a word, but they are certainly a frisky Final Four threat, and possibly the Big East’s best bet to make the tourney’s final weekend. Gonzaga, Ohio State, Louisville, Duke, and Kansas appear to be a cut above the rest, but Butler belongs in that next tier. And in this topsy, turvy hoops world, where no. 1 teams are falling left and right, sure – why can’t the Bulldogs make a run?
Harkins
Yes. Butler is already close to a lock to reach the NCAA Tournament and that makes it a threat to contend for the Final Four. As has been evidenced by top teams dropping like flies through the first two months, nobody is a dominant force in college basketball this season. As a result, the teams that I am willing to believe in most are those that are experienced, disciplined, consistently strong on the defensive end of the floor, and boast a go-get-a-bucket scorer. Butler checks every single box and should be a threat as long as it continues to play at this level.
There is a lot of season left, and my opinions on the top teams will surely change, but if the tournament started *right now*, Butler would be a top-2 seed in a region and is playing better basketball than most teams in the country. The Dawgs also already sit at 4-1 outside of Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Mullen
The Butler Bulldogs are a legit Final Four threat. The Bulldogs are led by NBA prospect Kamar Baldwin. Baldwin is averaging 13.9 points per game, down from 17 a year ago. However, Baldwin has improved his 3-point range and is currently shooting 34% beyond the arc as opposed to 31.1% last year. The Bulldogs have some quality wins, including a win over SEC opponent Florida. As a mature team with experience and only one sophomore and one freshman in their rotation, Butler will be more adept at handling pressure come tournament time than most other teams.
Gerena
The Butler Bulldogs are a legit Final Four threat. I do not believe that there are more than a few teams right now across the whole country capable of beating them more times than not at a neutral site. With no bad losses and wins against strong teams like Purdue, Florida, Minnesota, and Missouri, the Butler Bulldogs have proved to be a contender for this year’s championship. Butler has placed themselves in a position to get a one-seed in the tournament and all it’ll take is a Big East championship, which they are the current favorites for.
If they get that one-seed than I see no reason for them to not make the Final Four as they will be most likely placed either in the Midwest Regional which has the finals in their home town of Indianapolis, Indiana or in the East Regional which has their finals at Madison Square Garden, an arena that is well known by all Big East teams and which was won by former and future Big East school UConn back in 2014.