INDIANAPOLIS, Ind- After getting passed the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament in Milwaukee, Chris Holtmann and his bulldogs arrived in Memphis Wednesday afternoon for their Sweet 16 match up with the Tarheels.
It’s Butler’s first time in the Sweet 16 since 2011, and while they’re excited to still be competing for a trip to Phoenix, the road ahead is long and hard, as they’re surrounded by blueboods in the South region.
“This group of guys is hungry,” Coach Holtmann said as he got off the bus in downtown Memphis.
“We had that hunger as soon as I got in the lockeroom after we won in Milwaukee. They want more.”
And that’s just what Butler will get. More.
The Bulldogs beat Winthrop and Middle Tennessee state to make it the exclusive sweet 16 club, but now Roy Williams and the Tarheels await them, ready to pose a much bigger challenge than they saw in the first two rounds.
“We’ve had a few great days of preparation and we’ve got great respect for UNC,” Holtmann said of his team.
“They’re a one seed for a reason. But our guys are not satisfied by any stretch.”
Should Butler win, they would face either Kentucky or UCLA. The Bulldogs top off against UNC at 7:09 Friday night on CBS4.