Review: Butler Bulldogs - Old Dog House Learns New Tricks

Game 1 - Maine Black Bears at Butler Bulldogs, Saturday, November 15, 2014
Game 2 - Loyola (MD) Greyhounds at Butler Bulldogs, Saturday November 22, 2014
Game 3 - Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks at Butler Bulldogs, Monday, December 22, 2014
The Venue - Hinkle Fieldhouse, 510 W 49th St, Indianapolis, IN 46208
The Seat - Game 1 - Section 305, Row 17, Seat 35 ($21.25 total cost from Ticketmaster)
Game 2&3 - Section 211, Row 3, Seat 11 ($19.50 each as part of 4-game mini-plan)

The first college basketball game in Hinkle Fieldhouse history was played on March 7, 1928. When it was constructed, it was the largest basketball arena in the United States. In 1987, Hinkle Fieldhouse was designated as a National Historic Landmark. Through 86 years and thousands of Bulldogs games, the Dawg House has gone through a few facelifts, including a major renovation during the past off-season.  To paraphrase Robert Palmer, Hinkle Fieldhouse used to look good, but now it is simply irresistible.

Norman Dale Trophy (Updated)

Norman Dale is the fictional high school basketball coach of Hickory High School in the seminal film Hoosiers.  The film's climactic scene occurs during the State Basketball Finals at Hinkle Fieldhouse.  Fieldhouse 2 Fieldhouse is proud to present the Norman Dale Trophy to the top college basketball school in the state of Indiana.  How is the best team to determined? A season-long head-to-head tournament between the Indiana state basketball combatants on the court, of course.  

Norman Dale Trophy Standings

Valparaiso	2-0	+2
Evansville	1-0	+1
Indiana	1-0	+1
Notre Dame	1-0	+1
Purdue	2-1	+1
Butler	1-1	0
Ball State	1-2	-1
Indiana St.	1-2	-1
IUPUI	1-3	-2
IPFW	0-2	-2

Norman Dale Schedule

11/14 - Indiana State 79,  IUPUI 66 (OT)

11/16 -  Purdue 77, IUPUI 57

11/22 - IUPUI 71, Ball State 69 (OT)

12/3 - Butler 77, Indiana State 54

12/6 - Ball State 70, Indiana State 63

12/6 - Evansville 89, IUPUI 62

12/8 - Purdue 63, IPFW 43

12/13 - Valparaiso 65, Ball State 62

12/20 - Indiana 82, Butler 73

12/20 - Notre Dame 94, Purdue 63

12/20 - Valparaiso 75, IPFW 72

1/4 - Evansville at Indiana State

1/4 - IUPUI at IPFW

1/27 - Indiana State at Evansville

1/28 - Indiana at Purdue

2/11 - IPFW at IUPUI

2/19 - Purdue at Indiana

The winner of the Norman Dale Trophy will be the team that is the most games over .500, rather than the team with the most wins or winning percentage.  Winning percentage will be used as a tie-breaker.  Therefore, a 4-1 Purdue team would win out over a 2-0 Butler team, but not a 3-0 Evansville team. Any games against non-Division I opponents do not count towards the Norman Dale Trophy (e.g. Manchester at IPFW and Goshen at Valparaiso). Any post-season meetings also count in the standings. Therefore, the winner of the Norman Dale Trophy will not be announced until it is impossible for any Indiana teams to meet again in the postseason.  We will be tracking the standings as the season continues.