page_title: Rotnei Clarke
section_title: Senior year
hierarchical_section_title: Rotnei Clarke / College career / Senior year
caption_attribution_description: Rotnei Clarke (front) and his Arkansas teammate prepare to defend against Morgan State on November 25, 2009.
context_page_description: Rotnei Clarke is an American professional basketball player for the Pallacanestro Mantovana of the Italian Serie A2 Basket. He played college basketball for the University of Arkansas and Butler University before beginning his professional career in Australia with the Wollongong Hawks. In his rookie season, he was named the NBL's Most Valuable Player. He went on to play in Belgium and Germany before returning to the Hawks in 2016. He can play both point guard and shooting guard, and is known for his three-point shooting ability.
  During high school, Clarke's sharp shooting and chase for the Oklahoma high-school scoring record attracted large crowds. During his senior year, he led Verdigris High School to the school's first state title. He captured the state scoring record, finishing with more than 3,700 career points. Clarke was highly recruited out of high school, attracting more than 50 college scholarship offers. He selected the Arkansas Razorbacks, joining the team for the 2008–09 season.
  During a game in 2009, Clarke made 13 three-pointers and scored 51 points, setting SEC and team records respectively.
context_section_description: During Clarke's redshirt year, Butler struggled, finishing the year 22–15 and missing the NCAA Tournament.  Conley and Chris Clarke took leaves of absence from work to live in Indianapolis during the subsequent 2012–13 season.  Clarke was selected to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference second team, but Butler started the season unranked.  During the opening round game of the Maui Invitational, Clarke hit a running three-pointer at the buzzer to lead Butler to a 72–71 victory over Marquette.  Video of the shot went viral. "You grow up as a kid — I know I did — watching that tournament, wanting to be in that situation in that atmosphere", Clarke remarked. "To hit a shot like that and be able to celebrate with my teammates was one of the coolest things ever."  For his efforts, Clarke was named to the All-Tournament team and selected as the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week.
  On December 15, 2012, Butler faced off against number one ranked Indiana.  With Indiana up four points in overtime, Clarke hit a three-pointer that launched an 8–2 Butler run to finish the game.  After the game, Clarke remarked that the possibility of big upsets "was one of the reasons I came [to Butler]".  The win was Butler's first ever over a number-one ranked them and launched them into the top 25.  By early January, the team was ranked 13th in the AP Poll.
  On January 12, 2013, during a game against Dayton, Clarke stole the ball from Matt Derenbecker and was going up for a fast-break layup when he was fouled hard from behind by Derenbecker.  Clarke lost his balance and crashed headfirst into the basket support.  He collapsed to the floor where he remained for several minutes.  From his neck down, he was numb; his arms moved, but he had no control over the movement.  Coach Stevens called it the scariest thing he had ever witnessed on the basketball court.  As medical trainers examined Clarke, he told them "I'm not coming out [of the game]".  Despite his declaration, he knew the situation was serious, but he tried to stay positive: "I tried to think as many good things as I could, that I was going to be OK and that everything was going to be fine."
  After a long delay, Clarke was taken from the floor on a stretcher and transported to an area hospital.  By the time he arrived, the numbness was subsiding.  X-rays revealed that he had suffered a severely strained neck, but no long-term damage. "He is really lucky," remarked Stevens. "There was a distinct possibility he wouldn't walk again."  Two hours later, Clarke walked out of the hospital in a soft neck brace, and with a new perspective.  "I feel very blessed that day that I was able to walk out of that hospital," he said. "It hit like I've never been hit before. There are more important things than a game of basketball."
  Clarke missed Butler's next three games and was not allowed to engage in strenuous activity such as basketball practice. "That was the worst thing for me," he remarked.  "I'm not a patient guy," he explained. "[I had] to learn to be patient ... and listen to whatever the doctors [told] me". The day he received his medical release, Clarke was back in Hinkle shooting.  "It [was] the first time [I'd] seen him truly happy in two weeks," remarked Clarke's father.  Clarke returned to action on January 26 in a game against Temple after missing three games.  He scored 24 points and dished out a career-high nine assists.
  Clarke finished the regular season with a 16.7 point per game average, fourth in the Atlantic 10.  He was first in the conference in made three-pointers per game (3.5) and free throw percentage (89.6%).  Clarke led Butler to a 24–7 record and third-place finish in the Atlantic 10.  His accomplishments landed Clarke on the Atlantic 10 All-Conference first team. He was selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 4 team and was the only non-Big Ten player selected for the USBWA All-District V team.
  During the Atlantic 10 Tournament, Clarke scored 21 and 14 points in wins over Dayton and La Salle, and 16 points in a loss to St. Louis.  He collected eig
caption: Clarke (front) and his Arkansas teammates prepare to defend against Morgan State on November 24, 2009
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