Work has just begun

Butler is our archrival.

All apologies to Green Bay and Valparaiso, who give us strong, emotional rivalries with tight games seemingly every time out.

But this is Butler. And across the bench, Butler sees us as Milwaukee – while every team in the Horizon League views Butler as a rival, no one quite has their number the way Milwaukee does, to the tune of 10-8 Butler in the last eighteen meetings.

So winning tonight’s game was huge for the program, to overcome the poor free throw shooting and shaky shooting from the field to beat their archrival.

But you know the Carpenter’s song – we’ve only just begun.

Looming beyond Butler is the other eight members of the Horizon League – one of the toughest, hardest, strongest mid-major conferences in the country, not one team on the schedule is an easy out. And it continues Saturday against Valparaiso.

The Crusaders are all that matters right now – they will be coming in hot, thoroughly schooled by a Green Bay Phoenix program that seems to have their number. They’ll be playing at Milwaukee, in front of a bitter rival as well as many of their own alumni who live in Brew City.

So enjoy the victory over Butler, but keep an eye out – Valpo is right around the corner.