Sweet again: Butler beats MTSU, gets back to NCAA regionals

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Published March 18, 2017

Butler's Kelan Martin and Avery Woodson celebrate after an NCAA college basketball tournament second-round game against Middle Tennessee State Saturday, March 18, 2017, in Milwaukee. Butler won 74-65. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

MILWAUKEE (AP) Kelan Martin scored 19 points, and Butler limited Middle Tennessee's athletic scorers with smothering defense in a 74-65 victory Saturday night to advance to the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals.

The Bulldogs (25-8) are going to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011, when they wrapped up back-to-back appearances in the national title game.

Andrew Chrabascz added 15 points for fourth-seeded Butler, including a 3 with 3:25 left that snapped a 7-0 run for Middle Tennessee to get the lead back to 62-56.

The senior forward played an even more important role in leading a sterling defensive effort for the Bulldogs.

Conference USA player of the year JaCorey Williams finished with 20 points, but had to work hard for nearly every bucket for No. 12 seed Middle Tennessee (31-5).

Giddy Potts, who averaged nearly 16 points a game this year, was held scoreless, going 0 of 8 from the field.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/sweet-again-butler-beats-mtsu-gets-back-to-ncaa-regionals