Butler Bulldogs vs Xavier Musketeers Match Player Stats On Mar 10, 2021

Chuck Harris scored each of his game-high 21 points after halftime, including a pair of go-ahead free throws with 3.7 seconds left in overtime, and Bryce Golden had a career-best 20 points to boost Butler to a come-from-behind 70-69 victory against Xavier in a Big East tournament opening-round game on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The 10th-seeded Bulldogs (10-14) advanced to face No. 17 Creighton, the tournament's No. 2 seed, in a quarterfinal on Thursday.

Xavier led by as many as 19 points in the first half and 14 at the break, but erratic shooting and spotty defense after intermission helped Butler get back in the game. A pair of Harris free throws tied things at 59 with 41.6 seconds left.

Butler closed regulation on a 6-0 run while holding Xavier scoreless over the final 2:44.

The Musketeers shot 46.7 percent compared to 43.3 percent for the Bulldogs, but Xavier went just 11-for-31 from the floor after the break.

The Bulldogs had a chance to win in the closing seconds, but Dwon Odom blocked a Harris jumper, and Butler was unable to get another shot after Harris grabbed the rebound.

Harris drilled a 3-pointer 31 seconds into overtime as the Bulldogs grabbed their first lead since going ahead 9-7. The seventh-seeded Musketeers (13-8) took their final lead with 18 seconds left as Paul Scruggs made two free throws.

After briefly exiting the game midway through the second half upon limping and favoring his right leg, Zach Freemantle scored seven of his 14 points in the final 4:51 of regulation to help the Musketeers keep the Bulldogs at bay.

Odom also scored 14 points for Xavier, Colby Jones had 10 points and nine rebounds and Scruggs had 10 points.

Hobbled by a recent ankle injury, Bryce Nze scored 19 points for the Bulldogs. Golden added nine boards.

Xavier led 40-26 at halftime, shooting 51.2 percent compared to 33.3 percent for Butler. Odom (12 points) and Jones (10) both scored in double figures in the first 20 minutes.

Butler regrouped after the Musketeers swept the regular season series, winning by 13 points on the road and 12 at home. It was the Bulldogs' first victory against Xavier in three meetings in Big East tournament play.

--Field Level Media