UTEP poses challenge up front  for Butler

At 6 feet, 8 inches, 230 pounds, Matt Howard is the beef for Butler.

The junior forward patrols the post for the 12th-ranked Bulldogs, providing the muscle down low that helped Butler (28-4) win 20 games in a row through capturing the Horizon League title and an automatic bid into today's NCAA tournament first round.

But Howard and the fifth-seeded Bulldogs, who own the nation's longest winning streak at 20, haven't seen a frontline this season quite like the one they'll battle at 4 p.m. today in 12th seed Texas-El Paso (26-6) in the NCAA West Regional at San Jose, Calif.

UTEP's frontline looks NBA-ready, with 6-9, 275-pound Derrick Caracter (13.8 points, 8.0 rebounds), 6-11, 225-pound Arnett Moultrie (10.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and 6-7, 215 Jeremy Williams (10.1, 4.7) posing tough matchups for Butler, not to mention 6-11, 270-pound reserve Claude Britten coming off the bench.

"That's a heck of a frontline," said 33-year-old third-year Butler coach Brad Stevens, who is 1-2 in the postseason entering his third straight year in the big Dance.

"I don't know that we've played against a better frontline, and we've played some pretty darn good teams this year."

 This isn't your older brother's Butler team, though. The Bulldogs had their difficulties against more athletic teams in recent NCAA appearances, but this Butler squad has shown it can get up and down the court and defend with anyone.

Howard (12.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg) offers relentless effort down low, and lanky 6-9 sophomore league Player of the Year Gordon Hayward (15.4, 8.5) -- who is being considered first-round NBA talent -- stretches the defense with his shooting and athleticism.

Still, Butler -- a 2 /2-point favorite -- will likely need guards Shelvin Mack (13.9 ppg) and Willie Veasley (10.3) to hit open shots and outplay UTEP guards Randy Culpepper (18.0) and Christian Polk (9.6).

Plus, Howard must establish position early defensively and stay out of foul trouble, if the Bulldogs are to overcome UTEP's size.

"It's a good challenge for me," Howard said. "I've got to do my work earlier and make sure they don't get easy post position and get me under the basket. If I let 'em have position right underneath the rim, you know, someone that's 6-11, 270 is probably going to score over me. I've got to do my work early and make sure I'm battling."

The Butler players were reminded in Wednesday's media session about the history of 12 seeds upsetting their first-round opponents. They didn't seem concerned.

"We're going to focus on ourselves," Mack said. "Don't matter who they pick, it's still the five players out there taking care of business."

MEN'S BASKETBALL

NCAA tournament

West Region

First Round 

Butler (28-4) vs. UTEP (26-6)

When: Approximately 4:15 p.m. today.

Where: San Jose, Calif.