Butler Dethrones No. 1 Indiana on National TV

By Jovan Alford
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

In a game that went back and forth and was a home game for both teams, the Butler Bulldogs do the unthinkable and defeat the number one ranked team in the nation in the Indiana Hoosiers 88-86 in overtime.

If you didn’t think that this Butler team was a contender after defeating the then number nine ranked team in the nation in the North Carolina Tar Heels in the EA Sports Maui Invitation, then you need to get your pulses checked. Once again, in a new conference the Bulldogs proved that they can hang and beat the big boys of college basketball.

Even though Hoosiers forward Cody Zeller got his 18 points and five rebounds, the Bulldogs just had that ex-factor in today’s game. That ex-factor was none other than senior guard Rotnei Clarke. Clarke did not start off playing the best of games as the Indiana defense had contained him until late in the second half and in overtime he started to come alive.

Clarke hit a deep three in overtime to give the Bulldogs the lead and that is what you want to see from your senior guard. He had no business taking that shot but he had no hesitation and took it. Rotnei Clarke finished the game with 19 points and 5 of 11 from the three point line.

But the unsung hero from today’s game goes to Bulldogs sophomore guard Alex Barlow who is a walk on. Barlow, who only had six points in the game and is only averaging 1.5 points per game this season, had made probably one of the biggest lay-ups in his basketball career so far to seal the deal for Butler.

So as the commentators would say “The Butler Did It Again” and they did! Butler puts the Atlantic 10 conference on the map with this early season signature win.

Jovan Alford is a staff writer for The Sixer Sense, a writer for Buzz On Broad covering the Philadelphia 76ers and Local College Basketball, and is a writer for Rant Sports covering the A-10 Conference for College Basketball.

Follow me on twitter @Jovan10 for Sixers, College Basketball, NFL, MLB, and all sports updates.

For any inquiries contact me via email: [email protected]

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