The Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team competes in the Horizon League, representing Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. They have competed in the Horizon League since the 1979-80 season. They are coached by Brad Stevens, who began his head coaching career at Butler in 2007 after previously working as assistant coach with the Bulldogshttp://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/040407aab.html. In 2008, Stevens became the third-youngest head coach in NCAA Division I history to win 30 or more games in a season. The first head coach of the Bulldogs was James Zink, who only coached for two years. The legendary Tony Hinkle was a head coach at Butler from 1926-70, except for three years where he was absent to serve in the US Navy. He led the Bulldogs to a 1929 National Championship and his teams compiled a record of 560-392 earning him a spot in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

2009-10 Season

The Butler Bulldogs finished the 2009-10 season with a record of 28 wins and 4 loses, including a league first 18-0 conference record after defeating Valparaiso 74-69 in the final game of the season. This was good enough to be seeded fifth in the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. On March 9th, 2010, the Bulldogs beat Wright State 70 to 45, for the Horizon League Tournament Championship. The impressive season for the Bulldogs earned all five Butler starter recognition on the All-League squadhttp://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2009-10/releases/030110aaa.

Gordon Hayward, a sophomore, was named the league’s Player of the Year after leading the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounds as well as sitting fourth in the league in scoring and third in rebounding. He also earned third team Academic All-America recognition for the first time in his college career as he pursues a computer engineering major with a 3.31 GPA. Fellow sophomore Ronald Nored was named the league’s co-Defensive Player of the Year, after leading Butler in steals with 46. For the second year in a row, coach Brad Stevens was named Horizon League Coach of the Year.

• "'Round 1"' The 5th-seed Bulldogs faced the 12th ranked UTEP. Shelvin Mack hit 7 three-pointers, and 25 points, to lead the Bulldogs to a 77-59 win.
• "'Round 2"' Ronald Nored made an impressive three-point play, with 25.4 seconds left, to break the tie and send the number 13 seed, Murray State home. Final score was 54-52 as the Bulldogs advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
• "'West Region Semi-Final"' Facing the top-ranked Syracuse, the Bulldogs managed to hold the Orange scoreless for 5 minutes near the end of the second half. Butler's 11 straight points, including a circus 3-pointer from Willie Veasley, upset the West's top team 63-59.
• "'West Region Final"' In the Elite Eight, the Bulldogs faced #2 Kansas State. After letting Kansas St. tie the game with 3 minutes remaining, Butler took the game over with 9 straight points to advance to the Final Four for the first time in school history, winning 63-56 on the back of Gordon Hayward's 22 points.
• "'Final Four Gordon Hayward scored 19 points and added another nine rebounds, including crucial one with 2 seconds remaining, to seal a 52-50 win for the upstart Bulldogs over Michigan State.

• 2008: Second round DatabaseSports.com: Butler NCAA Tournament Results
• 2007: Sweet Sixteen DatabaseSports.com: Butler NCAA Tournament Results
• 2003: Sweet Sixteen DatabaseSports.com: Butler NCAA Tournament Results
• 2001: Second round DatabaseSports.com: Butler NCAA Tournament Results
• 2000: First round DatabaseSports.com: Butler NCAA Tournament Results
• 1998: First round DatabaseSports.com: Butler NCAA Tournament Results
• 1997: First round DatabaseSports.com: Butler NCAA Tournament Results
• 1962: Second round DatabaseSports.com: Butler NCAA Tournament Results