The Butler Bulldogs are headed back to the Sweet 16, and they won a hard-fought battle with Middle Tennessee State on Saturday night.
For the second year in a row, the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders advanced to the Round of 32 with an upset victory in the first round. While last year was more of a shocker, as they beat the No. 2 seed Michigan State Spartans, this year they came into the tournament trying to prove they belonged. After defeating the No. 5 seed Minnesota in the first round, the Blue Raiders had to take on No. 4 Butler, and they ran out of magic on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs got out to a great start on Saturday, cruising to a 13-point lead in the first half. However, Blue Raiders senior JaCorey Williams went on a rampage, scoring six straight in a rally that cut the lead to five at the half. Middle Tennessee State gave the Bulldogs all they could handle after the break, but Butler was able to make their free throws and hang on to the win.
When all was said and done, the Bulldogs escaped with a 74-65 victory, punching their ticket to the Sweet 16. Kelan Martin was a monster off the bench, scoring a team-high 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Freshman Kamar Baldwin had a strong all-around game for the Bulldogs, dropping 13 points to go along with his four assists, and four rebounds.
For Middle Tennessee State, it will be back to the drawing board, as guys like Williams and Reggie Upshaw Jr. will be graduating this year. It has been an incredible run for the Blue Raiders, but now all eyes will turn to the Butler Bulldogs as they head to the Sweet 16. They are no stranger to going deep into this tournament, but they should have a tough matchup next week as they try to advance to the Elite Eight.
Highlights
Three Stars Prediction
Kelan Martin, Butler
The junior forward is having himself a heck of a tournament, and on Saturday, he played a huge role in the Bulldogs advancing to the Sweet 16. Martin came off the bench to lead the team with 19 points, hitting three three-pointers, while pulling down six rebounds. He led the team in rebounds in the first round as well, and he could prove to be the X-factor off the bench for the Bulldogs in the next round.
JaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee State
Williams took control of this game during the first half, willing his team back from a 13-point deficit early. When all was said and done, Williams finished with a great line for the Blue Raiders in his last game with the program. The senior led all scorers with 20 points, leading the Blue Raiders with nine rebounds in the losing effort. It was quite the way to go out for Williams.
Andrew Chrabascz, Butler
The senior continued his strong tournament with a nice effort on Saturday, helping his Bulldogs advance to the Sweet 16. Chrabascz scored in double-figures for the second straight game, scoring 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting. With his career at Butler coming to an end, expect Chrabascz to play a huge role in the Bulldogs game plan as they look to make a return to the Final Four for the first time since they made it all the way to the 2011 NCAA Championship Game.
Next Game
The Bulldogs will head to the Sweet 16 to take on the winner of the University of North Carolina vs. Arkansas Razorbacks game. The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight of the South Region will take place at the Fedex Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.