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Wright State

NCAA Tournament bid on the line for Raiders

Preview: Horizon League championship Wright State vs. Butler

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By Marc Katz, Staff Writer 11:34 PM Monday, March 8, 2010

INDIANAPOLIS — The Butler Bulldogs are a confident bunch, and they’ve been able to back up their bravado with results.

“The Butler Way,” it states on the school’s athletics Web site, “demands commitment, denies selfishness, accepts reality yet seeks improvement every day while putting the team above self.”

It is a “way” Wright State is trying to emulate tonight, March 8, in the Horizon League championship game at Hinkle Fieldhouse (9 p.m., ESPN).

Wright State enters with a 20-11 record, its fourth straight 20-win season at a school that began playing Division I basketball in 1987.

Butler, with a 90-year head start, had marvelous teams in the 1920s and ’30s, then fell to a period of mediocrity until Barry Collier — now the athletics director — took over as coach in 1989. His third team produced a 20-game winner, the school’s first in 30 years.

In the past 14 seasons, the Bulldogs have won 20 or more 12 times. They have won no fewer than 26 games in each of the past four seasons.

“Butler still has to win this game to win the tournament,” WSU coach Brad Brownell said. “Basketball has proven over and over again the team that’s the favorite doesn’t always win.

“I think our guys are playing at a good level. It’s a game that means a lot to both of us, and if we get off to a good start, we’ll be right there with them.”

Win or lose, No. 12 Butler (27-4) will receive a bid to the NCAA tournament, its ninth in 14 seasons, while WSU will have to win to earn a bid.

Brownell knows the odds.

“They’ve got two guys (Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack) who were on the Under-19 national team,” Brownell said. “Most teams don’t have one.”

Wright State beat Butler four years ago to win this tournament. Vaughn Duggins and Todd Brown are the only remaining Raiders from that team.

“We remind (our teammates) pretty frequently what that feeling was like,” Duggins said. “To get there again would be a great feeling.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or  mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Tonight’s game

Who: Wright State (20-11) vs.  Butler (27-4)

When: 9 p.m.

Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse,  Indianapolis

Radio: WONE-AM (980),  WIZE-AM (1340)

TV: ESPN

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here's a UD fan who says good luck in the CBI

jason
11:33 PM, 3/9/2010

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down 25 points in the second half

Stick a fork in em
10:24 PM, 3/9/2010

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Down 14 pts at the half.
Brad just can't get it done.
Bye bye Brad.

FireBrad
9:53 PM, 3/9/2010

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Good luck Raiders although i still think that Roudy Raider is the goofiest looking mascot........

goofy guy
7:43 PM, 3/9/2010

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I think WSU should be happy to get all the people behind it that it can. The only way UD is in the tournament, is if they win the A10. They are in a laundry list of "bubble teams" and are nowhere near the top. There appears to be 8ish spots available for some 20ish teams. So Daytonians might as well root for WSU. Thank you for your support UD fans, and good luck in Atlantic City.

mike
6:10 PM, 3/9/2010

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