BUTLER 71, VALPARAISO 68

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Official Basketball Box Score
Butler vs Valparaiso
02/05/08 8:00 p.m. at Valparaiso, Ind. (ARC)

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VISITORS: Butler 20-2 (9-2)
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
32 STREICHER, Drew..... f  0-2    0-0    0-0    0  2  2   2   0  0  1  1  0  36
34 CAMPBELL, Pete...... f  5-11   5-11   2-2    0  1  1   1  17  0  0  0  2  35
54 HOWARD, Matt........ f  3-4    0-0    0-0    3  0  3   4   6  0  1  2  0  15
04 GRAVES, A. J........ g  7-18   4-12   2-2    1  7  8   3  20  4  0  0  0  39
10 GREEN, Mike......... g  4-8    0-1    6-7    1  5  6   5  14  3  4  0  0  25
01 BETKO, Julian.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
02 VANZANT, Shawn......    1-1    1-1    0-0    0  2  2   2   3  1  2  0  1  12
03 HAHN, Zach..........    0-1    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  1  0  0  0   6
21 VEASLEY, Willie.....    3-4    0-0    2-6    2  0  2   2   8  0  2  1  1  28
24 JUKES, Avery........    1-1    1-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   3  0  0  0  0   4
   TEAM................
   Totals..............   24-50  11-27  12-17   7 17 24  19  71  9 10  4  4 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-22 45.5%   2nd Half: 14-28 50.0%   Game: 48.0%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  8-17 47.1%   2nd Half:  3-10 30.0%   Game: 40.7%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  7-10 70.0%   2nd Half:  5-7  71.4%   Game: 70.6%   1,1


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HOME TEAM: Valparaiso 14-8 (5-5)
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
00 IGBAVBOA, Urule..... f  3-8    0-0    5-6    2  3  5   2  11  1  1  0  1  28
35 HUFF, Shawn......... f  3-6    1-3    0-0    3  5  8   1   7  1  2  0  1  31
10 McPHERSON, Brandon.. g  5-9    4-6    0-0    0  1  1   3  14  2  1  0  0  31
13 HAANPAA, Samuel..... g  0-3    0-3    6-6    0  1  1   1   6  1  4  0  0  29
33 DIEBLER, Jake....... g  1-2    1-1    0-0    2  5  7   2   3  0  0  0  0  28
01 ROGERS, Michael.....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  1  1  0  0   4
14 LITTLE, Howard......    2-4    1-2    0-0    0  1  1   2   5  0  0  0  0   9
23 LOYD, Jarryd........    6-17   2-6    2-3    1  2  3   4  16  3  2  0  2  23
44 BOUCHIE, Bryan......    3-4    0-0    0-0    1  4  5   1   6  1  1  0  1  17
   TEAM................                         5     5             1
   Totals..............   23-53   9-21  13-15  14 22 36  17  68 10 13  0  5 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 15-25 60.0%   2nd Half:  8-28 28.6%   Game: 43.4%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  6-12 50.0%   2nd Half:  3-9  33.3%   Game: 42.9%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  7-8  87.5%   2nd Half:  6-7  85.7%   Game: 86.7%    1


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Officials: Tim Fogarty, Lamar Simpson, Jamie Luckie
Technical fouls: Butler-None. Valparaiso-None.
Attendance: 5432
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
Butler........................   35   36  -   71
Valparaiso....................   43   25  -   68
Attendance of 5,432 sets a new ARC single-game attendance record.

Points in the paint-BU 24,VALPO 26. Points off turnovers-BU 8,VALPO 6.
2nd chance points-BU 10,VALPO 10. Fast break points-BU 0,VALPO 0.
Bench points-BU 14,VALPO 27. Score tied-5 times. Lead changed-1 time.
Last FG-BU 2nd-00:17, VALPO 2nd-00:37.
Largest lead-BU by 3 2nd-00:07, VALPO by 12 1st-15:49.

MY POSTGAME ANALYSIS

The Butler Bulldogs overcame a 12-0 deficit to start the game and took their first lead with just 17 seconds to go, overcoming the Valparaiso Crusaders 71-68 in front of the biggest crowd ever at the sold-out Athletics-Recreation Center. It was all Valpo early, with the hosts scoring the game's first 12 points. Butler finally got on the board with a Matt Howard layup at the 15:30 mark of the opening frame. The Bulldogs tied the game at 19 apiece but were unable to take the lead. Valpo's lead bounced between two and nine points for the remainder of the half, with the Crusaders holding a 43-35 advantage at the break. Butler battled back to a 49-all tie with 13:06 remaining but again could not take the lead. Valpo seemed to always have an answer for each Butler run. The game's third tie came at the 2:54 mark with the score knotted at 60, setting up a frenetic final few minutes. Valpo's Jaryd Loyd made a pair of free throws. A. J. Graves answered with a jumper to tie things back up at 62. Brandon McPherson hit a big three-pointer to once again give the Crusaders some breathing room. Mike Green split a pair of free throws, but Graves corralled an offensive rebound and made another jumper to even the score at 65 with just over a minute remaining. Loyd countered with a three-pointer which seemed to give the momentum back to Valpo, but it wound up being the Crusaders' final points of the night. Green drove to the other end for a quick layup, then fouled out on the ensuing inbounds play, sending Loyd to the line for a one-and-one. Loyd's attempt was well short, barely drawing net, and gave the Bulldogs the ball out of bounds, trailing by a point with 24 seconds left and a chance to take the lead. For the first time in the entire game, they did. Graves drove down the right side of the lane, and when Valpo's defense collapsed on him, he kicked it out to Pete Campbell in the corner, who made the go-ahead three-pointer to put Butler on top 70-68. Willie Veasley then stole the ball and was fouled. He split his free throws, giving the Crusaders one final chance to tie. McPherson had a good look at a three-pointer from the top of the key, but it bounced out and Drew Streicher tapped the rebound to Julian Betko to seal a 71-68 come-from-behind victory.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Graves. The senior guard led all scorers with 20 points to go with a career-best eight rebounds. He also had four assists (including the one that set up the game-winner) without a turnover in 39 minutes.

Campbell finished with 17 points and a pair of steals. Green, limited to just 25 minutes due to foul trouble, had 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Veasley added eight points off the bench. Howard, who played 15 foul-plagued minutes, had six points and three rebounds. Shawn Vanzant and Avery Jukes each hit a three-pointer off the bench to finish with three points. Betko did not start due to a knee injury and played only the final seven seconds. Valpo was led by Loyd's 16 points.

It was a tale of two halves defensively for Butler. Valpo scored 43 points in the opening frame, shooting 60% overall and 50% from behind the arc. Those numbers dropped to 25 points, 29% and 33%, respectively, in the second half. The Crusaders won the battle of the boards 36-24, including 14 offensive rebounds, but second chance points were even at 10 apiece. After turning the ball over four times in the opening four minutes, Butler finished with just 10 for the game. A good win in a hostile environment.

Butler continues its three-game road trip with a visit to Green Bay to face the Phoenix. Game time is Saturday, February 9, at 8:05 pm EST.

Game photos, courtesy ndfan1993
AP photos, courtesy ESPN.com

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