A. J. Graves
Encyclopedia
A. J. Graves is an American
basketball
player who played college basketball
with the Butler University
Bulldogs
.
Graves was the top freshman scorer in the Horizon League
in his first year. As a sophomore, Graves scored in double figures in twenty-six of thirty-three games, starting in all of Butler's games. In both his freshman and sophomore year, he finished as the team's second-leading scorer.
Starting with multiple wins over ranked and other major conference schools early on in the season, during pre-season tournaments, the Bulldogs soon became ranked in both the AP
and Coaches' top 25 polls. After losing in the Horizon League conference tournament to Wright State
, they were selected to play in the field of 65, receiving an at-large bid
as a #5 seed.
Butler played in the 2007 D-1 Basketball Tournament
. They reached the Sweet Sixteen after defeating #12 seed Old Dominion
and #4 seed Maryland
, 62-59 in the second round but ultimately lost to defending champion Florida Gators
, 65-57.
Graves had an outstanding senior year as he led the Butler Bulldogs to another Horizon League Championship. They earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in which they received a 7-seed despite finishing #11 in the final AP poll and defeated Southern Alabama in the first round before falling just short to 2nd-seeded Tennessee in the second round. Graves graduated from Butler in the spring of 2008 with a degree in mathematics.
Graves currently works for CRANE Naval Base in Bloomfield Indiana. He also holds the Varsity Girl's basketball coaching position at his Alma Mater, White River Valley High School. His maternal cousin, Marrisa Miller, plays basketball for him and is a junior at White River Valley High School.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
with the Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
Bulldogs
Butler Bulldogs
All but one of Butler University's 19 intercollegiate teams compete in the Horizon League, along with Cleveland State, Detroit, Green Bay, Loyola, Milwaukee, UIC, Valparaiso, Wright State and Youngstown State...
.
Graves was the top freshman scorer in the Horizon League
Horizon League
The Horizon League is a ten school, NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States....
in his first year. As a sophomore, Graves scored in double figures in twenty-six of thirty-three games, starting in all of Butler's games. In both his freshman and sophomore year, he finished as the team's second-leading scorer.
Starting with multiple wins over ranked and other major conference schools early on in the season, during pre-season tournaments, the Bulldogs soon became ranked in both the AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and Coaches' top 25 polls. After losing in the Horizon League conference tournament to Wright State
Wright State University
Wright State University is a comprehensive public university with strong doctoral, research, and undergraduate programs, rated among the 260 Best National Universities listed in the annual "America's Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Wright State is located in Fairborn, Ohio,...
, they were selected to play in the field of 65, receiving an at-large bid
At-large bid
An at-large bid is a bid or berth in a sporting tournament granted by invitation, not right. This term is most commonly used in the United States to refer to berths that the NCAA grants in its annual Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, although at-large berths are granted in almost...
as a #5 seed.
Butler played in the 2007 D-1 Basketball Tournament
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
. They reached the Sweet Sixteen after defeating #12 seed Old Dominion
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
and #4 seed Maryland
Maryland Terrapins
The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 27 men's and women's athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
, 62-59 in the second round but ultimately lost to defending champion Florida Gators
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
, 65-57.
Graves had an outstanding senior year as he led the Butler Bulldogs to another Horizon League Championship. They earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in which they received a 7-seed despite finishing #11 in the final AP poll and defeated Southern Alabama in the first round before falling just short to 2nd-seeded Tennessee in the second round. Graves graduated from Butler in the spring of 2008 with a degree in mathematics.
Graves currently works for CRANE Naval Base in Bloomfield Indiana. He also holds the Varsity Girl's basketball coaching position at his Alma Mater, White River Valley High School. His maternal cousin, Marrisa Miller, plays basketball for him and is a junior at White River Valley High School.