2016-17 Big East Preview: #6 Butler

#6 Butler Bulldogs

Head Coach: Chris Holtmann (3rd season)

Last season: 22-11 (10-8); lost to Virginia 77-69 in second round of NCAA Tournament

Top Returning Players: F Kelan Martin (6'7, 220 Jr; 15.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 37.7 3FG%, Preseason All-Big East Second Team),

F Andrew Chrabascz (6'7, 230 Sr; 10.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 36.9 3FG%),

Breakout Player: G Tyler Lewis (5'11, 170 Sr; 5.9 ppg, 2.8 apg, 38.7 FG%)

Lewis has been a role player at the point in his years at Butler and NC State (transferred after his sophomore year), but the time is now for the former McDonald's High School All-American to fulfill his talent. The senior guard has never shot over 40% from the field or 30% from three-point range in a season, so most of his scoring impact has been felt at the line (85.2 FT% last year). Lewis is the perfect offensive point guard for Martin, who is an All-Big East first team scorer inside and out, but it will be their work on defense that dictates how far this Bulldogs team can go in 2016-17.

Top Newcomer: G Avery Woodson (6'2, 190 Sr; via Memphis)

The graduate transfer was lights out from downtown last season (77 made threes, 43.0 3FG%), and Butler will need more of that to replace the departed Kellen Dunham. Freshmen G Kamar Baldwin and C Joey Brunk are solid recruits who will contribute right away, as Baldwin will help fill a void left by do-everything guard Roosevelt Jones and Brunk will compliment Chrabascz and Tyler Wideman down low.

Why Butler Will Make the NCAA Tournament: The Bulldogs have made the Big Dance three of the last four years and Coach Holtmann has maintained a culture of winning (2013-14 being the gap year) since Brad Stevens bolted for the NBA. Martin may be the best pure scorer in the league and Woodson has the type of shooting range to help carry this offense to their level of expectation. If experienced players like Lewis, Chrabascz and Wideman take another step in their progressions as college basketball players, then Butler should find themselves in the Round of 32 for a third straight season.