Butler Seniors To Face Globetrotters

PHOENIX, ARIZ. – Washington Generals owner and president Red Klotz announced today that the legendary basketball team has signed Butler University seniors Willie Veasley, Avery Jukes and Nick Rodgers – who helped lead the Bulldogs to the championship game of the men’s NCAA tournament – to one-game contracts, as the Generals look to finally put an end to nearly four decades of losing to their longtime nemeses, the Harlem Globetrotters.

The trio will suit up for the Generals on Wednesday night, April 14, at 7:00 p.m. at Conseco Fieldhouse.

“These kids have the winning attitude we need to push us over the hump,” said Klotz. “Playing in Indianapolis with these guys on the floor also gives us the type of home court advantage the Bulldogs enjoyed at the Final Four.  I don’t think I’d want to be a Globetrotter on Wednesday night trying to shut these guys down.”

The Bulldogs captured the hearts of people across America, as they knocked off Syracuse, the top seed in the West region, and second-seeded Kansas State en route to their first Final Four in school history.  The Bulldogs took out perennial power Michigan State in the semifinals before falling just two points short to Duke in the national title game.

Klotz is hoping for a repeat of that magic in Indianapolis. The last time Klotz and the Generals tasted victory against the Globetrotters was on January 5, 1971, in Martin, Tenn., when his team edged the Globetrotters in overtime by a score of 100-99, as Klotz, then the team’s player-coach, hit the game-winning shot.  

Tickets for Wednesday’s game start at $15.00 and are available at the Conseco Fieldhouse box office, at all Ticketmaster locations or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Individual ticket information can also be found on the Harlem Globetrotters’ official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com, as well as info on group and scout tickets.