Busting Brackets
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Big East Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2022-23 season

By Connor Wilson

Mar 2, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Creighton Bluejays center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) and guard Trey Alexander (23) celebrate a basket against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 2, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Creighton Bluejays center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) and guard Trey Alexander (23) celebrate a basket against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Simas Lukosius Butler Bulldogs (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Simas Lukosius Butler Bulldogs (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

8. Butler Bulldogs

Projected Starters

G: Eric Hunter Jr. (Purdue)

G: Chuck Harris

G: Simas Lukosius

F: Ali Ali (Akron)

C: Manny Bates (NC State)

Last season was an interesting one for Butler Basketball. The Bulldogs played through some injuries and ended up with a 14-19 overall record and just 6-14 in Big East play. After the season, the school somewhat surprisingly let go of head coach Lavall Jordan after the Bulldogs defeated Xavier in the first round of the Big East Tournament and losing a close one to Providence.

With Jordan out the door, the newest head coach at Butler is none other than Thad Matta, who is entering his fourth tenure with the program and his second go-around as head coach. Matta played for the Bulldogs from 1987-90, was an assistant coach for a number of years, and was head coach during the 2000-01 season.

Matta was put in a tough spot, having to replace the production of longtime Bulldogs such as Jair Bolden, Bryce Golden, Bryce Nze, and Aaron Thompson. He brought in a great transfer class headlined by NC State big Manny Bates. Also joining the squad are Purdue transfer Eric Hunter Jr., Akron transfer Ali Ali, and Georgia Southern transfer Jalen Thomas. Combine that group with the returning perimeter trio of Chuck Harris, Jayden Taylor, and Simas Lukosius and Matta have a pretty deep group in his first year back.

Sure, the talent is there, but will the production be there? That is the number one question surrounding the Bulldogs this year. With all of the talented teams in the Big East, they may struggle at times to string together wins. But rest assured, 2022-23 Butler Basketball has the best chance to return to the NCAA Tournament since the team last made it in 2018 (would’ve made it in 2020 had there been a postseason). The Bulldogs will be on the Bubble.

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