Yes, That Was Brian Butch!

 FINALLY!

For three years, we have waited.  Some patienly, some not.  He was a McDonald's All-American; one of a handful to do so in the state of Wisconsin's history.  He dominated high school basketball.  We have expected big things and they haven't come.  Until yesterday.

Wisconsin center Brian Butch came out of hibernation yesterday against one of the best centers in the country, Aaron Gray of Pitt.  The junior, out of Appleton East, scored 27 points and had 11 rebounds in the seventh-ranked Badgers win over the second-ranked Panthers. 

"He's a McDonald's All-American, everybody in the country wanted him and he played like it," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said of Butch, who finished 8-for-11 from the field and 9-for-12 from the foul line. "He's a good kid, he plays hard and you guys should be proud of him. It's good to have a homegrown kid play as well as he did and win a game against us like that. He deserves it, he played well."

Having a mother being diagnosed with cancer his freshman year, we should have been more patient.  If we can get Brian to play like that more, we can expect this winter to be warmer than normal.