San Jose, CA (Sports Network) - Gordon Hayward had 12 points and seven rebounds and forced a turnover on the game’s final possession, allowing fifth- seeded Butler to escape HP Pavilion with a slim 54-52 decision over 13th- seeded Murray State in second-round play of the West Region.
Butler 54, Murray State 52: Last-Second Defensive Stand Ends Racers’ Cinderella Hopes
Matt Howard hit 1-of-2 free throws with 17.5 seconds remaining to give the Bulldogs a 54-52 lead. The Racers didn’t call timeout and swung the ball to Isaiah Canaan at the top of the key.
Canaan dribbled precious seconds off the clock before deciding to give the ball up to first-round hero Danero Thomas near halfcourt.
Thomas, who hit a game-winning jumper to upset Vanderbilt on Thursday, never got a chance to duplicate the feat, as Hayward tipped the ball into the backcourt and corralled the loose ball as the buzzer sounded.
Ronald Nored finished with a game-high 15 points to go with six assists for Butler (30-4), which won for the 22nd straight time despite shooting just 36 percent from the field.
The Bulldogs, who have now reached the Sweet 16 three times in the last eight years, will next face the winner of the Gonzaga/Syracuse contest.
Canaan hit all four of his three-point tries on his way to a team-high 14 points for Murray State (31-5), which was trying to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.
See More:
