First Thoughts: Butler 68, Bucknell 56
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Correspondent
Let’s take a quick look at how the Butler Bulldogs a 68-56 win over the Bucknell Bison on Thursday afternoon at Rupp Arena.
WHY IT HAPPENED: Rotnei Clarke scpred 17 points, 13 in the second half, and Roosevelt Jones added 14 as Butler improved to 6-1 in its past seven NCAA tournament openers. Andrew Smith had 14 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, dominating his matchup with all-world center Mike Muscala. Butler shot poorly, but the Bulldogs got to the foul line and played outstanding defense. Bucknell’s Joe Willman was the only Bison in double figures, scoring a game-high 20 points, most on long, silky smooth mid-range jumpers. Butler (27-8) survives to play another day by knocking off a team that had not lost in more than a month and had dropped just three games since Christmas.
WHAT WE LEARNED: Muscala was clearly not himself, and that reality was a combination of effective Butler defense and Muscala’s visible nerves on the big stage. Bucknell trailed 26-16 early in the second half before unleashing an out-of-nowhere 21-5 run to take its first lead since 2-0 eight seconds into the game. But Butler responded with a 22-5 burst of its own to take full control. A Clarke 3 with 1:31 remaining iced the score, putting the Bulldogs up 56-45. Clarke, playing in his first-ever NCAA tournament game as a senior, endured a case of the yips himself and forced shots at times. But Butler grinded out a huge victory in spite of his off night. That indicates how talented, strong-willed and well-coached this Bulldogs team is. No team in the East region wants to see them on the opposite bench.
KEY NUMBERs: Muscala tied a season-low with just nine points, 10 below his average.
TURNING POINT: Butler scored six of the final eight points in the first half, holding Bucknell to two points in the final six minutes. The Bison endured a scoreless stretch of just over five minutes in the middle of the half. That ending set the tone for the rest of the game.
NEXT: The sixth-seeded Bulldogs take on the winner of Marquette-Davidson on Saturday here in Lexington, Ky.
