Bryce Butler was thrust into the starting lineup at West Liberty this season in a full-time role.
One could say he embraced the opportunity.
Another way to put it might be: He took a defining season and owned it.
The third-year sophomore out of Latrobe has been dominant for one of the top Division II teams in the country.
The Hilltoppers (26-2) are ranked No. 2 in the NCAA.
The validation keeps coming for Butler, who has proven to be a prized recruit for the Hilltoppers’ program. He was named the Mountain East Conference Player of the Year, adding to a run of accolades that keep landing on his doorstep.
Earlier in the year, he was announced as a candidate for the coveted Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award, which recognizes America’s top small-college basketball player.
He helped lead West Liberty to its fifth straight conference title. The 6-foot-5 guard is averaging 18.6 points and 7.3 rebounds for West Liberty, the highest-scoring team in the nation (100.8 points per game).
The 1,000-point career scorer is ninth in the country with 222 field goals and 10th with his 64.0 field-goal percentage. He has scored in double figures 27 times in 28 games and has eight double-doubles.
Butler had 30 points against Fairmont State.
Butler’s coach, Ben Howlett, was voted the conference coach of the year, and junior guard Pat Robinson III earned first-team All-MEC honors alongside Butler. The Hilltoppers received a first-round bye in the MEC Tournament and will play host to the winner of Glenville State (12-15) and Wheeling (9-19) Friday night.
