Ask Kansas. Ask Texas. As Kentucky. Ask Michigan State, the team that used to sit alone a top the Big Ten (and considering the injuring to star guard Kalin Lucas, the relationship is even more direct).
You can now ask Embry-Riddle, the #6 basketball team in NAIA Division II. Coming off of a whirwind weekend - 500 wins for 21 year Head Coach Steve Ridder on Friday Night, and a twenty point win over #14 ranked Northwood on Saturday - they were by far the strongest team in the Sun Conference. Then the best 6th man in the country got hurt. David Butler and his four blocks a game (not to mention the 16 points and 10 rebounds) got injured. Hopefully just a twinge of the ankle, but it's a small problem with big consequences.
Edward Waters, just 3-9 in The Sun Conference play, took it to the undersized Eagles. Embry-Riddle came into the game with the 2nd best Field Goal Percentage defense in the COUNTRY, but gave up 79 points. They limited the 14th ranked Northwood Seahawks to 49.
Butler, at age 27 an elder statesmen (even for the NAIA), doesn't just block shots. Like all great shot blockers, he alters dozens of others, and prevents opposing bigs from getting into the fray down low. No doubt he was missed last night.
Let's hope he's rehabbing today. There's still four games left in conference play. Next week brings games at Florida Memorial and St. Thomas(the only othe conference team to beat Embry-Riddle), and one home game against nationally ranked Warner and another home game versus Webber International.
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