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The Butler Bulldogs won a very close game over the Cleveland State Vikings, holding on in the final minutes.
This is the time of year the Butler Bulldogs usually force other to notice their play. Despite struggling through a challenging season where scoring points has been a chore, Butler drew the gaze of the Horizon League leaders with their impressive win on Thursday night at Youngstown State.
At the same time, the Cleveland State Vikings, considered by many the best team in the league, lost their grip on the top spot in the Horizon by taking a double-digit loss at home to Valparaiso.
So on Saturday Butler visits the Wolstein Center to play Cleveland State in a key game for both teams. The Vikings are looking to keep pace in the Horizon League with their sights remaining on a regular season championships.
Butler is looking to round into tournament form and help their seeding for the conference tournament among the muddled middle of the Horizon. The Bulldogs are one of four teams currently tied for third place in the conference at 8-6, so with four league games left every win is critical.
Butler Vs. Cleveland State Final Score: Bulldogs Struggle Late, Hold On For 52-49 Win
The Butler Bulldogs won a pivotal Horizon League matchup on Saturday, barely holding off the Cleveland State Vikings despite early domination to take home the 52-49 win and make things a little more interesting. Butler dominated the first half 28-18 and looked solid heading into the second half. They only trailed at one point in the first, very early on, but started to struggle in the second. With 12 minutes left, the Vikings tied the game at 34-34, but Khyle Marshall put up four points, followed by two field goals from Andrew Smith and Roosevelt Jones to take the lead back.
Fast forward to six minutes left and Cleveland State took the lead once again, and it was tied as late as the final two minutes. Chishawn Hopkins made a jumper with a little over a minute left that put Butler back on top and they took the win, helped along by some missed shots from the Vikings and a turnover by Jeremy Montgomery.
Jones led the way for the Bulldogs with 17 points, seven rebounds, a steal and a block. Smith had a solid outing as well, shooting 5-for-9 and scoring 11 points, while Marshall went 5-for-11 and had 12 points. Anton Grady led the way for Cleveland State with 18 points and 13 rebounds, with two assists and two blocks. He was the only real stand-out performer for the Vikings and they suffered for lack of other players stepping up.
Next, Butler will take on Loyola on Feb. 14, while the Vikings will take on Milwaukee.
Feb 11 4:51p by James Brady