PEAK SEASON

Butler has a reputation for doing well in early season tournaments (like the 76 Classic). Even so, coach Brad Stevens doesn’t want his team to overlook the little things

Anyone want to tell the Butler Bulldogs something they can't do? Last season, having to replace four starters and five of its top seven scorers, Brad Stevens’ squad was picked to finish fifth in the 10-team Horizon Conference. They responded by going 26-6, winning their third straight regular-season conference title and earning a third straight berth in the NCAA Tournament. Butler boasted the Horizon Player of the Year in forward Matt Howard, and the Conference Newcomer of the Year in swingman Gordon Hayward. Stevens was named Horizon Coach of the Year. In only two years as coach, Stevens compiled a 56-10 record; only former North Carolina coach Bill Guthridge (58-14 in 1998-99) won more games in his first two seasons in Division I history. That win total should rise substantially this season, as Stevens' Bulldogs have everyone coming back and are prohibitive favorites to win the conference.

Butler comes to Anaheim for the 76 Classic with expectations of continuing the school's reputation for coming up big in preseason events, having won the Preseason NIT in 2006 and the Great Alaska Shootout in 2007. Stevens talked to ESPN PLUS about what makes his team successful, what lies in wait in 76 Classic first-round opponent Minnesota, and where you can find Butler in future preseason tournaments.

coach Brad Stevens

@BUCoachStevens : I don't look at it very long-term right now. We're just trying to get better on a daily basis. We're young into the preseason. We've figured out a way to win three times. I'm happy for that but we can get a lot better. That's where most teams are right now at this time of the season.


@ESPNPlus : With everyone returning from last season, where do you want to see improvement?

@BUCoachStevens : We need to get a lot better, but I've felt that all along. One of the things that we try to focus on is the importance and the value of doing the details, making sure we're great in the little things. I'm looking forward to continuing to coach this team. They're a very coachable group and it's just an enjoyable group to be around every day.


@ESPNPlus : What does your team have to do to be successful in your 76 Classic opener against Minnesota?

@BUCoachStevens : They're really talented. They've got most of their team back. The thing that stands out when you watch them, is, first and foremost, their depth and athleticism. They had 11 guys last year average more than 10 minutes a game. They're extremely athletic; they keep fresh bodies on the court. Those guys can really defend. They really put you in an awkward, tough spot defensively with their size, length and ability to get into the paint. Right now they're shooting 39.7 percent from three-point range. So you've got all kinds of issues and problems when you play a team like that. But when you play really good teams you have to try to be as good as you can one possession at a time because teams like this can go on runs that can really hurt you.


@ESPNPlus : What does it mean to your program to be invited to a tournament like this?

@BUCoachStevens : We won the Preseason NIT in '06, and the Great Alaska Shootout in '07. Those have always been big events for us. We get an opportunity now to play in [the 76 Classic]. Next year we're going to play in ESPN's [Hawaiian Airlines] Diamondhead Classic. We're scheduled to play in Maui in 2012, and Orlando in 2013. I think it's a big deal not only from the exposure standpoint but from the opportunity to play good teams and see where you are at this time of year.


@ESPNPlus : Having become the poster boy for mid-major success, how does it feel to carry that label? Is there any responsibility?

@BUCoachStevens : I don't think there's any responsibility. Our responsibility is to Butler University. Our job is to positively promote Butler. I don't feel like we're shouldering anything for any other schools. We have to play really well every night to win. It's not like we're going to just step out on the court and have success. We've got to be a great team. We've got to be a group that's committed to a collective vision. Thus far they've been really good at that. I think one of the things that we try to do is we try to focus a lot less on what everybody is talking about and a lot more on what's important to have success.


@ESPNPlus : With your entire team returning, who are the leaders you're looking to?

@BUCoachStevens : We've got a good group coming back. Gordon Hayward was Newcomer of the Year, Shelvin Mack was on the conference All-Newcomer Team and Matt Howard was our Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore. We've got a lot of other guys that have done a lot of things. But it's no secret. Everybody's got good players. You just have to go out and be committed to doing the little things, do those as many possessions as possible and see what happens.


@ESPNPlus : What does Butler have to do to be successful?

BUCoachStevens : We have to defend. We have to take care of the basketball. We have to make sure that we're getting great shots. Right now, the beautiful part about that is we can work to get better in all three areas.


@ESPNPlus : What does team have to avoid?

@BUCoachStevens : I don't know that there is an Achilles’ heel. We have to focus on what's important. It's very easy to get caught up in things not going well and let that spiral or to get caught up in things going too well and missing the point of how we got there. One of the things that we have to do is just have an even-keel approach day by day. Focus on what we can control and make it very simple.


@ESPNPlus : How does playing in preseason tournaments help recruiting? Can it act as a springboard into the season?
@BUCoachStevens : We always try to schedule competitively. People that we are recruiting appreciate that. That's always a positive. One of the big things is I think it's a great opportunity to see where we are and we're going to find out a lot more about us. You're never going to play three games in four days the entire season. So it's one of those things that you have to really focus on how to make your team better and get your team better coming off an event like this. We're going to have this quick turnaround, play very good teams, and we start with one of the top teams in the country in Minnesota and we'll see what happens after that.