Davidson Game To Be Broadcast On WHMB-TV

WHMB-TV 40 will bring Butler Bulldog Basketball to local television viewers all across Central Indiana with the live broadcast of the Bulldogs’ season opener from historic Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday, November 14 at 2 pm against Davidson.  WHMB and Butler have teamed up since 2006 to bring Bulldog basketball to Central Indiana.

“WHMB is excited to bring Butler’s opener to the state of Indiana.  Butler should be one of the best teams in America with all of their players back, and of course Davidson was one of the great NCAA Cinderella stories in the last couple of years” said Dennis Kasey, WHMB TV-40 Sports Director.  “WHMB has enjoyed its ability to air Butler games the last few years to Central Indiana viewers along with the best coverage of Indiana High School basketball the past 21 years.”

The Bulldogs are coming off a 26-6 campaign and a Horizon League championship season.  The team has been picked to win the league men’s basketball title in 2009-10, according to the preseason poll of league coaches, media and sports information directors.  Butler is ranked in the top 25 of most 2009 preseason NCAA basketball polls.

Butler is led by junior forward Matt Howard, who was named Horizon League Player of the Year in 2008-09.  Howard led the Bulldogs in scoring (14.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.8 rpg) last year, while leading the league in field goal shooting.  Also returning are sophomores Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack, both members of the gold medal-winning USA U19 World Championship Team last summer.  Hayward (13.1 ppg) was named Horizon League Newcomer of the Year last season while Mack (11.9 ppg) was picked to the league’s All-Newcomer Team.

Butler is coached by 33-year-old Zionsville native Brad Stevens.  Now in his third season as Butler Head Coach, Stevens stands second on the NCAA Division I list for “Best Career Starts, Two Seasons” with a 56-10 record.  He became the first men’s basketball coach in Butler history to lead the Bulldogs to 30 wins.

Jim Barbar, an ESPN commentator, will provide the play by play along with current ‘1070 the Fan’ talk show host and former Bowling Green and Indiana University coach, Dan Dakich, providing the color commentary.

WHMB-TV 40 is the leader for local sports coverage in Central Indiana.  For further information, please contact General Manager Keith Passon or Sports Director Dennis Kasey at 317-773-5050 or by email at kpasson@lesea.com or dkasey@lesea.com.   For those who subscribe to cable TV, please check with your local provider for the WHMB channel listing in your area.  For Comcast subscribers, TV-40 is carried on channel 9 while Bright House carries WHMB on channel 22.  WHMB is also on channel 8457 on Dish Network.