Butler Bulldogs Drop Exhibition to Northern State at Buzzer

The 2-time defending national runner up Butler Bulldogs began defending that title by flopping in its first exhibition game against a division-II school 53-50. Northern State hung around, while the Bulldogs gave away every chance the Wolves gave them to put away its home opener Wednesday evening.

Andrew Smith scored 19 points and Chase Stigall added nine, in a game where Head Coach Brad Stevens used seemingly every possible lineup rotation that he could come up with. At critical moments the Bulldogs at times featured only freshmen and sophomores on the floor.

I have learned to never question the coaching philosophy of Stevens. The man has been to two consecutive national title games, and is without question the greatest young mind in college basketball, but for heaven sakes, he has never cared about early season results.

The Bulldogs dropped an early season game to Evansville last year, and the year before they lost to UAB. Northern State is not the quality of either. If it weren't for Stevens, I would be worried, but like I said the man couldn't care less about results, especially at this juncture of the season.

In the hundreds of speaking engagements Stevens has accepted since the success he's lead the Horizon League school to, he has undoubtedly said in just about every one is that it is about the journey and not the destination. There are ups-and-downs. There will be disappointments and there will be surprises.

While Stevens took the blame for the loss in the postgame press conference, this loss is what it is. It was the first time that this group of six newcomers stepped onto the court with Ronald Nored, Andrew Smith, Chase Stigall, Garrett Butcher, and other final four Bulldog contributors. The result in the end is not what matters.

Assistant coach Matthew Graves said it best. "Our freshmen learned what it means to play college basketball tonight," Graves told 1070 the Fan in Indianapolis after the game.

They gave up 12 offensive rebounds and shot just over 50-percent from the line. If you want to beat anybody at the collegiate level, those statistics won't fly and that is what those kids learned Wednesday night.

After the game, Stevens, matter of factly as always said, "We are here tonight to prepare for this season." Every game has a purpose, and win or lose, that was the purpose of the matchup with this tiny school in South Dakota.

I can hear the critics already. Butler was the little engine that could in 2010 and 2011. This version, led by the little known, like Smith, Khyle Marshal, and freshman Roosevelt Jones will never be able to duplicate what this program has done the last two years. In fact, it will probably never happen again, right?

Go ahead, keep doubting Stevens' kids and his philosophies. After all, it's gotten them this far hasn't it.