5 Bold Predictions For No. 6 Butler vs. No. 11 Texas

By Jerry Landry

5 Bold Predictions For No. 6 Butler vs. No. 11 Texas

Butler Bulldogs NCAA Tournament second round vs. Texas Longhorns — The Butler Bulldogs are back, and so are Rick Barnes and the Texas Longhorns. Yet, the circumstances between the two institutions are possibly tenuous. Barnes could be out a job if Texas loses this game as an underdog, and Butler could be back to Hoosier state prominence if the Bulldogs can dispatch the Longhorns. Here are five things to expect from a game with so much riding on the bracket line.

5. Jonathan Holmes Will Have A Huge Game

Jonathan Holmes Texas Longhorns NCAA Tournament

5. Jonathan Holmes Will Have A Huge Game

Jonathan Holmes Texas Longhorns NCAA Tournament — This Texas senior won’t go out without leaving everything on the hardwood in Pittsburgh. Look for Holmes to slightly beat his regular season averages and put up a double-double inside against the Bulldogs.

4. Roosevelt Jones Will Pace Butler

Butler Bulldogs Roosevelt Jones NCAA Tournament

4. Roosevelt Jones Will Pace Butler

Butler Bulldogs Roosevelt Jones NCAA Tournament — Look for Butler to also get production from a forward as well. Roosevelt Jones, although just 6-foot-4 will play above his anatomy and near a double-double for the Bulldogs to keep Butler in check with Holmes and Texas.

3. Texas Will Out-Rebound Butler

Texas Longhorns vs Kansas State Wildcats rebounding NCAA Tournament

3. Texas Will Out-Rebound Butler

Texas Longhorns vs Kansas State Wildcats rebounding NCAA Tournament — The Longhorns are long across the board, and finished eighth and fourth in Division I offensive and defensive rebounding, respectively. How did Butler fare? Try 60th and 104th. Ouch.

2. Field Goal Shooting Will Be Atrocious

Butler Bulldogs vs DePaul NCAA Tournament

2. Field Goal Shooting Will Be Atrocious

Butler Bulldogs vs DePaul NCAA Tournament — Butler finished the 2014-15 regular season tied for 144th in the nation in field goal percentage. Texas was even worse, bricking with the best of them and ranking 167th. This game could get ugly, and it could stay ugly for long stretches.

1. Texas Pulls Off The “Upset”

Rick Barnes Texas Longhorns head coach NCAA Tournament appearance

1. Texas Pulls Off The “Upset”

Rick Barnes Texas Longhorns head coach NCAA Tournament appearance — Again, Rick Barnes will be coaching for his job. It would be perfectly Barnes-like for the Longhorn coach to perform just well enough to add another year in tenure. This game will be low-scoring, physical, and at times stagnant, but somehow Barnes will find a way to the weekend.

Teams in this article »

Texas Longhorns

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Butler Bulldogs

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