Butler Bulldogs Are Far From A Mid-Major Now

The Butler Bulldogs may have been a mid-major a couple of years ago, but they are far from that now.

The Bulldogs made back-to-back national championship games just a couple of years ago, however, they managed to lose both games. Whether the case, mid-majors are not supposed to do that. Not before, not now and not ever.

Butler is in the NCAA Tournament on a yearly basis and no one counts them out when it comes to winning the whole thing. This is a team that is consistently ranked in the top 25 and a team that challenges the best teams in the country.

Take this year for example. The Bulldogs were able to knock off Marquette, North Carolina and Indiana during the regular season. Mid-majors aren’t supposed to knock off two powerhouse teams in college basketball, especially when they are both ranked in the top 10. The Hoosiers were ranked No. 1 when Butler played them and the Tar Heels were ranked No. 9.

Butler joined the Atlantic 10 this season and that conference was one of the best. The Bulldogs are one-and-done and they will be joining the Big East next season, along with all of the other Catholic 7 schools. However, this is definitely not the Big East Conference of the past, but it will still be very solid and one of the best in college basketball. It is amazing that just a season ago, Butler was playing in the Horizon League.

Whether if it is knocking off the No. 1 team in the nation or making it to two straight national championship games, the Butler Bulldogs are no longer a mid-major team. Not even by a long shot.

It is amazing what one coach can do to a program and Butler fans ought to be thanking head coach Brad Stevens.

 

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