Butler shakes off bad shooting, injuries to beat Spartans and reach national championship game

Butler finds new way to beat Michigan St. 52-50

INDIANAPOLIS — Butler had to come up with a new way to get to the national championship.

Despite ice-cold shooting, losing two players to injuries and having only two players reach double figures — all anomalies for the Bulldogs — Butler beat Michigan State at its own game Saturday night for a 52-50 victory and a trip to Monday night’s title game against either Duke or West Virginia.

“We get stops when we need them,” forward Avery Jukes said. “We’ve done that all year. That’s what we’ve hung our hat on all year. When we need them, we get them, five guys buckle down together and that’s what we did at the end of the game.”

The result, which sparked a celebration on the Butler campus a few miles away from Lucas Oil Stadium, was as shocking as how the Bulldogs did it.

Guard Shelvin Mack watched the closing seconds from the sideline. Matt Howard left briefly in the second half after a violent collision with two other players.

Butler shot just 30.6 percent from the field and was outrebounded 36-32.

Losing Mack with muscle spasms in both thighs, a result of dehydration, and Howard may explain why Butler was 6 of 25 from the field in the second half and why it only had one basket in the final 12:18.

Coach Brad Stevens changed his demeanor, too.

The calmness that captivated outsiders all week quickly vanished, forcing an official to warn him about complaining just 6½ minutes into the game.

It didn’t stop there.

Fourteen seconds later, when Howard drew his second foul, Stevens stomped his foot on the floor and threw his hands into the air. And when Mack drove in for a layup and drew a foul, Stevens fell to one knee as the ball dropped through the net.

So how did Butler do it?

By relying on the same fundamentals that got them here.

Butler forced more turnovers, outscored the Spartans 20-2 off turnovers, outrebounded Michigan State 11-8 on the offensive glass and made free throws when it mattered most. Plus, they got the Spartans in foul trouble and limited them to just eight second-half baskets.

Of course, the Bulldogs weren’t scoring much either, but in the end it was just enough.

“Our offense comes to us,” said guard Willie Veasley. “We don’t really worry about that. Our defense is what we concentrate on. We knew with the lead, we didn’t need to score another point. We knew we could stop them.”

The game was played in front of an estimated 71,000 people, while several thousand more attended a viewing party a short drive away at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse. After the big win, the crowd spilled outside, cheering and honking their car horns.

“I bet the party doesn’t end until Monday,” said Jeremy Reagin, a 20-year-old sophomore.

If the Bulldogs win Monday night, maybe even Tuesday.