How can one even begin to describe this phenomenal guy? One of Butler's best ever players and he will truly be missed, not just by me, but by other fans too. To start off, Brandon has played the game of basketball almost all of his life. From when he was barely in elementary to now in his last days as a senior for the Butler bulldogs. He grew up in the now famous town of New Castle, Indiana, former home of Iowa coach, Steve Alford. Butler senior Darnell Archey also lived in New Castle, and as a matter of fact, he and Brandon grew up together and played on the same teams. But no matter where he was at, I'm sure Brandon would have played basketball, regardless of his surroundings.

In his highschool days, Brandon was a star player for Chrysler highschool in New Castle, alongside his friend Darnell. In his senior year, he became one of Chrysler highschool's all time scorers, obviously drawing the attention of many college's around the country.

After highschool, Brandon was recruited to Southwest Missouri State to play basketball, which also in that same year they went on to the sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament. But after playing for one season, he already missed home. He missed seeing his parents smile whenever he scored. He missed his friends, including Darnell. But most of all, he just missed Indiana. The following summer, he was finally recruited to Butler University in Indianapolis. Even though he was a red shirt in his first season at Butler, he didn't mind. He was just happy enough to be back home in Indiana where he belonged.

Finally, in the 2000-01 season, Brandon got to play. He was the starting shooting guard for the bulldogs in his sophomore season to be exact. Later that season, Butler was in the NCAA tournament defeating Wake Forest in the first round, but only to be later crushed by Arizona in the second game. This loss was a lesson to Brandon. One that taught him to play with even more fervor then before and to be positively tenacious on the hardwood.

The following season, after lone senior, Lavall Jordan graduated, the bulldogs were now led by three seniors, two of whom were four year starters. Thomas Jackson, Rylan Hainje, and Scott Robisch. The other two starters were juniors Joel Cornette, and of course, Brandon Miller. With these five taking the court right away, and with several sharp shooters on the bench ready to come in at any time, the bulldogs felt secure that their season would be even better than the last, despite being under their third new coach in three years. Being un-defeated in non-conference play, including an impressive win against IU in the Hoosier Classic and defeating Purdue, Brandon was confident that Butler would do just fine in conference play, but he soon learned not to take chances after a shocking loss to Wright State in their first conference game that actually took place on the bulldogs home court.

Three more losses soon followed, all taking place in conference play, but that didn't stop the bulldogs. Shortly after a sad defeat against UW Milwaukee at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Brandon decided that was enough and came out ready to play when the team arrived in Chicago to face UIC. Swish, swish, swish was about all everyone heard that day, most of it coming from Brandon. In that game, he scored a career high twenty-nine points, including five three pointers. Also in that game, three technical fouls had been called one of which was on senior Rylan Hainje, Thomas Jackson had fouled out, and Scott Robisch was battling the flu bug. It was a huge blow to the bulldogs, but they pulled through with an eight point victory. But more importantly, even though Brandon was only a junior, he displayed true leadership both on and off the court. Scoring when he needed to score, playing defense when the other team had the ball, and being there for his teammates when they needed him.

At last it was conference tournament time, and Butler was the number one seed playing UW Green Bay which was the lowest seed in the tournament. There was less then five seconds left and the bulldogs were down by two. The ball was in Brandon's hands as he went up for the three...off the rim, no good, time expires. This was Butler's fifth loss and would turn out to be a huge blow for them come NCAA selection time. Silently on Selection Sunday, they waited, only to be disappointed. They didn't make it to the Big Dance. But yet, there was still hope of at least some form of a national championship in the NIT, which they had been invited to. They won the first game against Bowling Green back on their homecourt, which the seniors never expected to play on again, and advanced to the second round to play Syracuse in New York. Holding their heads high, they ran into the Carrier Dome as I watched from the stands, this being my first trip away with the team. They took the game by storm, leading most of the way, but towards the end of the second half that lead slipped away and they were again down by one. At first, Coach Likliter was going to have Brandon take the last shot, but Brandon insisted that one of the seniors take the shot. So the ball ended up in Rylan Hainje's hands, he threw up a prayer from thirteen feet away, and it rolled off the rim, ending Butler's record breaking season.

Despite the loss, several Butler fan's were at Hinkle Fieldhouse, including myself to welcome the team back home. There were tears, there were laughs, there were hugs, there were pictures. True dedication is what I call it concerning the fans that showed up that cold and rainy afternoon in March just to congratulate the team. Even though the season had ended for three guys, it wasn't over for Brandon and the rest of the team. They still had another year ahead of them and they were ready before it even started.

2002-03...a truly miraculous season for the bulldogs as well as Brandon. Starting four of their six seniors and one junior, Likliter was still at the helm and felt confident having Brandon in command of the floor as point guard, playing alongside good friend Darnell Archey next to him in the back court, with Joel Cornette as center, senior Lewis Curry as small forward, and junior Mike Monserez as power forward. This line-up was definately a good decision for Likliter as all of them could score, four being excellent outside shooters and all could penetrate inside. The season seemed pretty much set for the bulldogs with also three new recruits, each of them seeing significant playing time all season.

Every player seemed to have his shining moment, from Archey's consectutive free throw record to Joel's improved scoring. But the real star was Brandon, even when he didn't score much. As one of the premier ball handlers in the country, he could take the ball down the court and move it well, while maintaining communication with his teammates at the same time. He was like a bullet that shot across the hardwood and his shooting was always superb, often his three pointers being from NBA range hitting nothing but net. But to add on top of his excellent basketball skills, he is an absolute trooper. On January 31, Butler received the opportunity to play Duke. Of course, the bulldogs couldn't pass this up and took up the offer. In the second half, Brandon drove down the lane, going up for a shot, hoping to draw a foul. But not only did he draw the foul, he also collapsed on the hardwood just beneath the basket, holding onto his leg, yelling : "Coach cramp, coach cramp!!!" Apparently when he went up for the shot, a sudden pain shot through his leg and down to the calf near his ankle, causing it to cramp and swell up. But what impressed me the most is that he didn't make that big a deal about it. Obviously didn't cry and just clenched his teeth as he walked off the court. And you know what? About seven minutes later, he was back out there again. ^_^ Even though they lost by twenty points to the blue devils, just playing Duke boosted the bulldogs RPI, which would be vital come selection time.

Towards the end of the regular season, the bulldogs found themselves in a tie for first place in their conference with the panthers of UW Milwaukee. And it just so happened that the very last game of the regular season for both teams was on Butler's homecourt against the panthers. With a regular season title on the line, the bulldogs stormed their homefloor with determination and finesse, draining several three pointers, slamming down vital shots, and playing excellent defense. But that wasn't enough to hold off Milwaukee, which came right back in the last few minutes of the second half to take the lead. Down by one, Brandon wasn't about to let this be a three-peat play. So in the time out with four seconds to go, he tried his best to boost his teammates morale, despite two important players being benched due to fouling out. It was Butler's possession, Lewis and Darnell were both down at the opposite end to take shots if needed, Monserez was at half court, freshman Avery Sheets was ready for the in-bounds pass, and Brandon was to pass the ball in. Whistle blew. Quickly, Brandon gave the ball to Avery and darted across the court to his position as the freshman did also. Milwaukee practically smothered Brandon and Archey, the sharp shooters, and Avery found himself all alone behind the three point arc with the clock winding down. So he went up for the shot. Immediate silence fell as the ball hit nothing but net, giving the bulldogs the victory and the panthers another depressing loss.

There were tears as the six seniors knelt down on the court and kissed the bulldog, for this was their last ever home game. Brandon raised his hand over his teammates and smiled at the crowd. There was no better way to win on senior day then by having a freshman make the game winning shot. This victory gave the bulldogs the number one seed once again in the Horizon League tournament to play Detroit. I too went to that game up in Milwaukee to watch them play. I saw Brandon smile after Darnell made the game clenching free throw. They had advanced to the championship game again, but it would be bittersweet as they were to play Milwaukee...again, only this time on the panthers homecourt. Unfortunately in that game, Butler never tasted the advantage of having the lead and lost by twenty points. But not all hope was gone for the bulldogs as we all held our breath for Selection Sunday.

Finally that Sunday came as thousands of Butler fans watched the 'Selection Show', nervously waiting to find out whether they made it into the Big Dance. Sure enough, Butler popped up as the number twelve seed in the east. Brandon and his teammates were positively extatic that they were in. Almost too excited in Brandon's case because he was so happy he didn't even notice who they were playing, and when he finally realized who their opponent was he just smiled. Their adversary was ranked Mississippi State, and Brandon was ready.

Once again, I had the opportunity to go to Birmingham and watch the bulldogs play. It was so exciting and I felt very proud that I was a part of this wonderful tradition. The night before the big game, there was an open practice so that the fans could come and boost the team's morale. And so we watched, and I apparently made Brandon laugh as he missed a free throw because I made some silly comment that I was his number one fan, which of course I am ^_^.

Friday night was finally here. And to my astonishment, when the team came out before the game, I noticed that they had ALL shaved their heads! I about fell over I was so shocked. Not that it didn't look good, I was just really surprised. Their hair was all there the night before, but then again, if you follow the bulldogs as much as I do, it wouldn't surprise you when one of them got a new hair style. However, this new look for all of them kinda gave them a sense of team unity. Like, 'I do it, you do it' idea. I've grown to like it now, but then of course, if I didn't like it, I wouldn't be rambling about it would I?

At last, it was game time. The bulldogs took to the court like normal with only four hundred Butler fans while Mississippi State had over sixteen-thousand fans, but we were behind them 100 % all the way. The lead was almost constantly changing, basically it was an exchange of baskets at both ends. But there was twenty seconds left and once again, we were down by one, Brandon with the ball. Likliter didn't call a timeout because he knew he could trust Brandon to make the right decision. Seven seconds left. With his senior teammates career's on the line, he drove the lane, jumped up, let the ball roll off his fingers, and in it went, followed by extatic cheering from the small Butler crowd. The bulldogs had defeated Mississippi State by the finesse and determination of Brandon Miller, advancing to the second round to play the cardinals of Louisville.

Time slowly passed, pre-game jitters were exchanged, and cheers to boost morale were made before Sunday's game against the number four seed in the east. I was particularly nervous. Nervous that this could very possibly be the last game I ever see Brandon play, but thanks to my dad and the wonderful fans, I came to understand that even if they did lose, I would still be his number one fan, regardless of the game's outcome. One man called me a 'true Butler fan' because I would be behind Brandon either way.

About ten minutes into the first half, Butler was down by as much as fifteen. I looked to my dad with tears in my eyes saying 'I was afraid that this would happen', but right after I said that we suddenly fired up and went on a 18-2 run against the cardinals, having a one point lead at half time. The star of the game was obviously Darnell Archey with his eight out of nine three pointers and Mike Monserez with his un-selfish basketball handling, but Brandon also played a vital role. He controlled the ball, guided it to where it needed to be, found Archey with the open shot, and played tenacious defense. And so the Butler bulldogs triumphed over the Louisville cardinals, advancing to the sweet sixteen for the first time in over forty years, and receiving the beloved title 'Cinderella' of the NCAA tournament. It was this game that helped me to realize to never give up in all I do. When all seemed lost for the team, they came right back and fought hard, setting a great example for everyone to press on towards their goals in life, no matter how far down they seem to fall.

But now, the pressure was building for the bulldogs for they were to face number one seed, Oklahoma in their next game. I again was able to travel to Albany to watch the game in person, having high expectations that we could win this game, regardless of how good Oklahoma was. I could tell that they were ready to play and wanted this victory desperately. But with about three minutes left in the game, and seeing that we were down by eleven, I came to the grim realization that this indeed was the last game I would ever see Brandon play, and that unfortunately was true. Our record season was over, our dreams of a national championship shattered, and midnight had struck for the Cinderella.

So I sat there in tears as the Oklahoma fans cheered and roared about their victory. But despite the loss, I couldn't help but smile that we gave it our all in this tournament, showing everyone that we're more than mid-major material. We're the major of the majors. The NCAA selection committee will think twice before ever snubbing us again.

Sadly, this was the end of Brandon's college career, a truly remarkable career at that. Starting three years in a row, not missing a single game, and playing like a star each time. A rumour has been going around that NBA scouts have been checking him out, and we all believe that Brandon is NBA material and much more. But he's not just a basketball player. He's a terrific friend, brother, son, and (I believe) soon to be husband. Not only does he have incredible skills on the court, but he is also a very talented and intelligent young guy. As his secondary major, Brandon student teaches at North Central Highschool, following in the footsteps of his father. His brother, Scott is also an amazing basketball player, finishing his college career as the number three top scorer and three point shooter at Marian College.

As kids, Brandon and Scott were always challenging eachother to one-on-one matches. But also, he had a tendency to get hurt. When he was four or five, his legs were too short to reach the brake pedals of a bicycle he rode downhill...into a neighbor's house. While practicing baton exchanges on a blacktop in junior high track, he ran into a basket support. Brandon's head was so bloody, his father thought there had been a drive-by shooting. He also broke his arm playing quarterback in youth football, but later in basketball re-broke it. In his final game as a senior in highschool, he tore an anterior cruciate ligament...and kept playing. In his sophomore season at Butler, he hurt his shoulder but still played all season. Stubborn guy huh?

Brandon is also known to be a winner in almost everything he does, and not just basketball. In his younger days he would be furious when his dad would beat him in checkers. More than once, Butler teammates have been awakened on a bus trip by his shouts during a card game. Apparently, winning supercedes sleep and health. However, Brandon knows no other way than winning.

But Brandon is not the last of Miller hopeful's. His baby sister, Lindsey who is an outstanding athlete may be considering playing women's basketball for the bulldogs next year when she graduates from highschool. All around, the Miller children could arguably be the best athletes Indiana has ever had since Steve Alford and Larry Bird. But Brandon's career is not over yet. His future plans are to hopefully be a college basketball coach, just anything to do with the game.

I truly hope the best for Brandon and his future in basketball, but I have to be honest, I'd hate to see him play overseas, however that may be just what he needs to perhaps make the pro's. Before I saw Brandon play, I never was very into sports despite playing baseball from when I was five to stopping at age twelve and playing one year of basketball in junior high. But watching him out there made me appreciate the game more and now I love it, as if you couldn't tell. People say it's just a game. It is...until you're a part of it.

I admire every player for the Butler bulldogs basketball team, but Brandon stands out above all the rest. I still havn't really received the opportunity to get to know him better, but there is one thing I've known ever since I first saw him with a ball, he is wonderful guy who deserves nothing but the best life has to offer him. I'm not sure whether he knows Christ as his Saviour, but if he doesn't, I hope someone, perhaps even myself gets to share the gospel with him.

Roger Brandon Miller...a gifted young man with the talent, finesse, and determination to amaze generations. At the age of twenty-three, he has already seemed to conquer the game of basketball in every way. One very special guy that I will definately miss, but despite all his fame due to playing the game he loves, he is fun, sweet, and a down-right awesome person both on and off the court. Brandon, on behalf of all your fans and myself, we wish you the best and thank you for all you've done. May God forever bless you and keep you.