Butler men's basketball 2017-18 season preview

Overview: The Bulldogs were a strong team throughout last season, earning marquee victories over the likes of Villanova and Xavier but also suffering the occasional slip-ups against teams such as Indiana State and Georgetown. In the Big Dance, Butler earned the No. 4 seed in the South Region, where it made it to the Sweet 16 before bowing out to eventual national champion North Carolina.

Although the Bulldogs return two of their top three scorers from last year, their primary concern comes in coaching department. Chris Holtmann bolted for Ohio State in June, along with several assistants and top recruit Kyle Young. For a team that shot 47.7 percent from the field—good for 33rd in the country—losing second-leading scorer Andrew Chrabascz and three-point specialist Avery Woodson will also hurt.

The play of Kelan Martin and Kamar Baldwin, however, will likely determine Butler's success this year. The former is a lethal 6-foot-6 scoring machine who can get hot from deep or attack the rim on mismatches with smaller defenders. Shooting 42.8 percent from the field and averaging almost two long-balls per-game, Martin is also a strong defender with his length and a true two-way player. Baldwin, meanwhile, is a lockdown defender that had key steals in victories against Villanova last season and possesses an uncanny ability to create his own shot.

One thing that needs to go right: The duo of Martin and Baldwin improve on last year’s stellar seasons and help Butler deep into the NCAA tournament.