Thursday 7:07 pm: (5) Butler vs. (1) Syracuse

On paper, this looks like a terrible matchup for the Bulldogs. A lot of people wrote off Butler early in the season after watching them struggle against much of their premiere competition. The knock? The Bulldogs can’t handle the size and athleticism of the best teams in the country.

Butler is probably the smallest team left in the tournament. Gordon Hayward, their three man, is the tallest player that sees minutes. Their center – Matt Howard – is 6’8″, a land warrior, and as foul prone as any player in the country. Their power forward is the same height as the Syracuse backcourt.

As you might imagine, that’s a problem.

Syracuse is big. Even if Arinze Onuaku’s quad isn’t ready to go on Thursday, the Orange are big. Rick Jackson was one of the most underrated players in the Big East this past season. A lefty, Jackson is a good rebounder and a solid post scorer. He blocks his share of shots, and shouldn’t have an issue matching up with Howard. If Onuaku is ready to go, Butler is going to be in some trouble. How are the Bulldogs going to defend and rebound against that much size?

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The paint isn’t the only place Syracuse is big.

Wes Johnson and Kris Joseph are both 6-7 and athletic with long arms. Andy Rautins, Scoop Jardine, and Brandon Triche are all big, physical guards that love to get in the passing lanes on the perimeter. Add in the fact that Butler doesn’t have a lot of great shooter, and you can see how this team might struggle against a zone with that much length that can force turnovers.

Should one even mention that Johnson played his best game of the season on Sunday? He went for 31 points and 14 boards, hit a season high 4 threes, and was as aggressive offensively anyone has seen him over the course of this campaign.

Having said all of that, Butler is a tough team that plays hard, smart basketball. But eventually, athletic talent will outweigh effort.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer