David Woods

david.woods@indystar.com

MILWAUKEE -- It might be exaggeration to refer to a Butler Nation. By national standards, the private university has a relatively small fan base and number of active alumni (46,000).

It would not be exaggeration to assert Butler basketball has a large extended family. After the Bulldogs reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament Saturday night, the tweets came pouring in from former coaches and players.

From Boston and New York and Mobile. From Izmir, Turkey, and Strasbourg, France, and Barreiro, Portugal.

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Following Butler’s 74-65 victory over Middle Tennessee State in the South Regional, former sharpshooter Kellen Dunham joined the locker room celebration. He was tackled by Tyler Lewis and Sean McDermott, disappearing into a Dawg pile of, well, Dawgs.

“Yeah, K.D.!” Lewis shouted in a video posted by the university.

We had not heard from former coach Brad Stevens on Twitter since Aug. 16, when he posted about the late Joel Cornette. The Boston Celtics coach kept his Saturday post short and, well, sweet:

“DAWGS!!”

Coincidentally, the Butler team arrived Sunday at Hinkle Fieldhouse while Butler greats Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack were practicing with the Utah Jazz. The Indiana Pacers meet the Jazz on Monday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Matt Howard, who played on the Bulldogs’ NCAA runner-up team in 2011, tweeted from France:

“How sweet it is!”

Khyle Marshall, also on that 2011 team, from Portugal:

“Dawgs are back in sweet 16!! WE all know what came about the last time that happened!!”

From Long Island Nets coach Ronald Nored, also on that team:

“SWEET 16!!!! We’re baaaaaaack!!!”

Twitter heard from South Alabama coach Matthew Graves and assistant Darnell Archey, both former Butler players and coaches, as well as former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy.

Most poignant was a tweet from Jordan Cornette, brother of Joel. Joel’s postgame assertion when Butler made the Sweet 16 in 2003 remains a rallying cry. Jordan tweeted:

“Still Here Joey. STILL HERE. #GoDawgs.”

Memphis is next

Butler will play in a regional semifinal Friday against No. 1 seed North Carolina (29-7), which beat Arkansas 72-65 Sunday. Tipoff time and network were to be announced late Sunday night.

The Bulldogs have twice met North Carolina in recent seasons, winning both away from the mainland.

Butler beat the No. 5 Tar Heels 74-66 on Nov. 26, 2014, at Paradise Island, Bahamas. Alex Barlow and then-freshman Kelan Martin scored 17 points each for the Bulldogs.

Butler beat the No. 9 Tar Heels 82-71 on Nov. 20, 2012, at Lahaina, Hawaii. Rotnei Clarke and then-freshman Dunham scored 17 each.

Neese voted into 3-point contest

At least one Bulldog will be in the Final Four.

Butler signee Cooper Neese of Cloverdale won a spot determined by online voting for a high school 3-point championship. The American Family Insurance-sponsored contest will feature eight players. CBS will televise 3-point and dunk contests at 3:30 p.m. on April 2 during Final Four weekend in Phoenix.

Neese sank 118 3s in the Clovers’ 21-7 season, shooting 38 percent.

By the numbers

0 – Minutes in which Butler has trailed in this NCAA tournament.

5 – Number of times the top four seeds went 16-0 in the first round since the field expanded in 1985. (Years are 2017, 2007, 2004, 2000, 1994.)

8.5 – Chance (measured by percent) of Butler reaching the Final Four, set by statistician Ken Pomeroy before the tournament.

12 – Lewis’ assist/turnover ratio in NCAA tournament (12-to-1).

18 – NCAA tournament wins by Butler since 2007. Purdue has 10, Notre Dame nine and Indiana seven.

52 – Percent of 3-pointers made by Avery Woodson over eight games.

Call IndyStar reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.