Butler Bulldogs Basketball Tickets

The Butler Bulldogs went from being a Cinderella story to one of the top mid-major programs in the country to just simply a great basketball team.

Butler was expected to win at least a couple of games in last year's NCAA tournament, but nobody thought they would end up playing Duke for the national title and come within an eyelash of winning it all.

There is a lot of hype surrounding Butler heading into the season and for good reason, but they will be missing a very key component of last year's team. Gordon Hayward decided to cash in on his big NCAA tournament performance and take off for the NBA, leaving Butler without its top player.

The good news is that the Bulldogs do return some of their other starters, and each will have to step up in their own way. Shelvin Mack became a household name in last year's NCAA tournament, and he could become the team's go-to player. Matt Howard gives Butler a consistent low-post scoring threat.

It's hard to imagine Butler making another run at a national championship, but they will once again be a very tough out. They are a virtual lock to win the Horizon League championship and should be able to reach at least the Sweet 16 come NCAA tournament time.