Gordon Hayward News

Butler is once again the overwhelming favorite to win the Horizon League men's basketball title, and Wright State looks to be the Bulldogs' toughest challenger.

Guard Shelvin Mack scored 12 points and center Matt Howard had 11 points and 10 rebounds to lead No.

OUTLOOK: Last season was supposed to be a down year for Butler basketball. With a bunch of fresh new faces coach Brad Stevens' squad was entering a rebuilding phase.

There are readers who remember when Butler and DePauw both belonged to the Indiana Collegiate Conference.

Continuing our assessment of the top NBA draft prospects in college basketball, we move on to the non-BCS conferences, where there is more than enough NBA talent to go around.

We've reached No. 11 in our preseason countdown, and we wondered which team that we've already revealed has the best chance to finish the season in the top 10.

If winning is a guilty pleasure, then Butler definitely did it - by all means. The little private school in Indianapolis continues to confound opponents on the court and experts off it as the Bulldogs keep cranking out wins.

Butler is the best of the non-BCS schools this season. "You mean the projected best," Butler coach Brad Stevens said.

He was the Horizon League Player of the Year for a team ranked in the top 25 nearly the entire season.

Coach: Brad Stevens . Last season's record: 26-6 overall, 15-3 in Horizon League .

No wonder Andrew Smith prospered Saturday. He didn't have to oppose center Matt Howard.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: G Chase Stigall and 6-9 C Emerson Kampen are redshirt freshmen who both practiced with the team last season, making 6-11 freshman Andrew Smith of Covenant Christian High in Indianapolis the lone true newcomer.

Butler is scheduled to appear on ESPN's family of networks a record eight times this season, eclipsing the total of seven appearances by the 2007-08 squad.

Butler center Matt Howard was projected to repeat last season's honor as Horizon League basketball Player of the Year in balloting announced today.

Butler has captured at least a share of the Leaguea s regular-season title each of the last three seasons.

Will Arizona's streak continue; what's up at Kansas? Can Calipari work magic? Get all the information you need on your favorite teams heading into the season Time to get busy, Hoopheads.

News and notes on eve of Butler's first formal basketball practice: -- Wooden Tradition organizers wanted to include the Butler/Xavier game as part of the Dec.

There are reasons to be very optimistic, but also pessimistic, about Butler's upcoming season.

Our preseason college basketball magazine hits newsstands Oct. 6. In it, we picked three All-America teams .

Ita TMs never easy to go on the road in college basketball. This is a top 25 breakdown of some of the toughest and most intimidating venues in college basketball.