Bulldogs touch down in sunny San Jose

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The Butler basketball team touched down in sunny San Jose, California Tuesday afternoon. The No. 5 seeded Bulldogs are getting ready for Thursday’s first-round matchup with No. 12 UTEP at the HP Pavilion Center.

The five-hour trip out West went without incident and it goes without saying, the team is very happy to be here.

“It’s always great to be in the tournament,” said head coach Brad Stevens. “You wish it could last forever, that’s why you want to keep winning and moving on. It’s what you coach for, it’s what you play for and it’s one of the most exciting things to be a part of.”

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said junior forward Matt Howard. “It’s great, and you can’t beat the weather.”

This is Butler’s fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and the team will need every ounce of experience to make it through to the second round. Now that Stevens has had a chance to scout the Miners, he admits UTEP may be even better than he thought.

“I knew they were good, but they have three or four guys that I could see playing in the NBA someday,” said the third-year head coach. “It’s one of the best 12 seeds I’ve ever seen.”

Also riding on Thursday’s big game is the nation’s longest win streak and the realization that it’s now or never for Willie Veasley and the rest of his senior teammates.

“It crossed my mind flying over here,” the senior guard said. “It’s win or go home and for me, Avery (Jukes) and Nick (Rodgers) it’s win or be done, so it’s kind of tough to think about that.”

The team practiced at Stanford University on Tuesday afternoon. The Bulldogs will have a light run-through on Wednesday at the HP Pavilion Center.

Tip-off with UTEP is set for Thursday at 4:45pm EST.

If you want to join the Bulldogs in California, Butler University put together a package deal for people planning to make the trip. Three hundred dollars will get you a hotel room and a ticket to Thursday's game against UTEP. That ticket will also get you a seat to the Vanderbilt-Murray State match-up.

If the team wins, fans will be charged another $200 for another night in the hotel, and a ticket to Saturday's game.