Source: Sarah Stier / Getty
NEW YORK, NY — The Big East Tournament is over as soon as it began for the Butler Bulldogs. In what was a back-and-forth battle in which there were over two dozen lead changes, the Bulldogs came out on the short end as they lost to Xavier 76-72 at Madison Square Garden.
The loss effectively ends their season, unless they are invited (and accept said invite) to one of the lesser post-season tournaments.
Both teams struggled from the outset as there was not a basket scored in the contest for the first minute and a half. The ice was broken by Dayvion McKnight of Xavier, who was followed up by DJ Davis of Butler on the other end.
That sequence was indicative of how the first half would go as there were 16 lead changes.
The most anyone when separate from one another was when Xavier engineered an 8-0 run midway through the first half to jump out to a 22-15 lead. Butler would not succumb to what plagued them in the latter half of the regular season when playing from behind.
Instead, they battled back thanks to a timely Jalen Thomas 3-pointer, which jumped started an 11-0 counter run by Butler to grab a 26-22 lead with 4:56 left to play in the 1st.
Xavier was not daunted by the clapback from Butler. The two teams kept jabbing and punching until halftime as Xavier held a 32-31 lead.
In the second half, neither team went on a significant run to try and find that separation both were so badly craving. It was an axe-grinding slow burn of a second half which consisted of nine more lead changes. The final lead change came with 13:28 left to play as Desmond Claude of Xavier hit a layup. That was followed up by a 3-pointer from Quincy Olivari.
At 54-50 with 12:49 to play, that would be all the separation the Musketeers needed as Butler was unable to get a run together. For every shot the Dawgs made, so did the Musketeers. Time expired with a 76-72 victory for Xavier.
The loss comes despite every play in Butler’s starting lineup scoring in double-figures, led by Pierre Brooks’ 21 points. Thomas and Posh Alexander each added 14 points.
For now, if the Dawgs season is to continue, we wait and see if they are invited to one of the lesser post-season tournaments, such as the NIT. That also rides on whether or not the Dawgs accept such an invitation.
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Butler Exits Big East Tourney Early In Loss To Xavier was originally published on wibc.com
