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Here are Butler basketball's top 10 career scorers – IndyStar
The Butler Bulldogs have been a prominent program nationally the past 20 years, but through the decades they have had plenty of players who can score. Here is a rundown of the Bulldogs’ top career scorers, with coverage from the IndyStar archives. (Statistics from College Basketball Reference)
2,321 points, 1983-88
Tucker was an offensive focus from the minute he arrived at Butler, averaging 13.4 points as a freshman and improving that mark each season until it was 24.1 as a fifth-year senior. He had games of 42 and 41 points as a senior, and also a game of 40.
A recollection from Ralph Reiff, Butler’s trainer at the time: “As a player, he was the sort of old-school, Indiana kid. He knew how to play the game. He loved the game. He could score at will if he wanted, but he was a great passer. He always knew where everything was at on the floor.”
2,047 points, 2014-18
He came off the bench as a freshman and was a part-time starter as a sophomore and junior before rarely leaving the court as a senior, when he averaged 21.2 points. He scored a career-high 37 against Marquette as a senior.
Even though he was a freshman last season, Aaron Thompson noticed a change in Martin between the time Thompson was being recruited to the time he shared the court with Martin. “His whole attitude, his whole demeanor toward the game, mind-set between games, is completely different. Proud of him, the way he’s grown. He did big things for us this season.”
2,019 points, 1983-87
He came along at the same time as Chad Tucker, and was the clear No. 2 option in Butler’s offense, averaging 13.5 points as a freshman and improving to 15.7 and 16.2 points the next two seasons. Two things changed his senior season: Tucker missed all but four games with a shoulder injury and the 3-point shot was introduced in Division I play.
Fitzgerald really took advantage, making 158-of-362 shots from long range that season. That total and his 5.6 made 3s per game remain Division I records. He averaged 26.2 points, including a school-record 54-point burst in a game against Detroit. He made 12-of-22 3s in that game.
“You know, it was like watching Michael Jordan on TV,” said teammate Darren Fowlkes. “It was just something fun to watch.”
Said Fitzgerald: “I don’t count ’em. I just keep putting them up.”
1,946 points, 2012-16
He came off the bench as a freshman and was a solid 16-point scorer in each of his final three seasons. He scored 32 points in a game twice and made 7-of-7 3-pointers in his 2014 regular-season finale.
If anyone couldn’t find Dunham around campus at night, there’s a good chance he was shooting at Hinkle Fieldhouse. “The key is not coming in here and going through the motions,” Dunham said. “The key is leaving the court better than you were when you got here.”
1,939 points, 2007-11
He was Butler’s best four-year player during their best era, starting on two teams that played in the national championship game (2010 and ’11). He averaged 12.3 points as a part-time starter as a freshman, then averaged 14.8, 11.6 and 16.4 as a starter the following seasons.
His smartest move may have been in the 2011 NCAA tournament against Pitt. In a bizarre sequence, Butler’s Shelvin Mack needlessly fouled a Pitt player with 1.9 seconds left, giving the Panthers a chance to take the lead. Pitt hit 1-of-2 free throws to tie, and Howard rebounded the miss and hurled the ball upcourt as a Pitt player made contact. Howard made his first free throw to give Butler the lead with 0.8 seconds left, and missed the second on purpose to let time expire.
“We’re fortunate to advance because one thing these guys do is play through the horn, and they’ll always play through the horn,” Butler coach Brad Stevens said of the odd sequence. “And I think that that happens because of 54 (Howard’s number).”
1,807 points, 2004-08
The four-year starter averaged 11.1 points as a freshman, then 13.4, 16.9 and 13.6 the following seasons. He hit 90 percent of his free throws and 303 career 3-pointers.
Remember that time A.J. Graves scored 42 points in a game? No, that was Matthew Graves, who played for the Bulldogs from 1994-98. Or when he scored 20 against Florida in that painful NCAA tournament loss in 2000? No, that was Andrew, who played from 1997-2000. The brothers beat a path from Switz City to Hinkle Fieldhouse, combining for 3,292 points.
1,798 points, 1979-83
He averaged 13.1 points as a freshman, and had a career-high average of 19.8 as a junior. He was a three-time team MVP.
“I just want to be remembered as a hard-working young man who gave 100 percent all the time,” Mitchem said late in his senior season. “A person easy to get along with. A player who gave his all.” Coach Joe Sexson said Mitchem did that: “I’ve never seen anybody reach 100 percent potential of what he is capable of doing as well as Lynn.”
1,744 points, 1988-92
He earned this distinction essentially in three seasons. He had seven points as a freshman, then averaged 11.9 points his first full season, then boosting it to 21.8 and 24.8 the next two years. He poured in 42 points against Xavier in 1992.
About that game: Archbold hit 7-of-12 3-pointers against Xavier, spurred on by a recent unpleasant memory. “I had in my mind how I played last time against Xavier,” a season-low 11-point performance. “I had to prove to myself and to the team that I could play better than that.”
1,733 points, 1969-72
Freshmen weren’t allowed to play in this era, but Shepherd made a mark as a sophomore, averaging a school-record 27.8 points per game. He added averages of 17.4 and 19.3 the next two years.
Here’s Tony Hinkle (yes, the fieldhouse’s namesake) describing Shepherd as the 1969-70 season — Shepherd’s first and Hinkle’s last for the Bulldogs — was about to begin: “I’ve had plenty of good sophomores, some maybe as good as this kid. But I don’t think I’ve ever had anybody who got so much pure pleasure out of scoring.”
1,607 points, 1990-94
He averaged 10.3 points as a freshman and kept improving each season, topping out at 18.2 as a senior. He was the team MVP his last two seasons.
Guice was on the Butler team that beat No. 11 IU early in his senior season at Hinkle Fieldhouse. He didn’t have it going offensively — 19 points on 5-of-22 shooting from the floor — so he adjusted. “I was really into it on defense. When my offense isn’t clicking, I really have to use my defense.”