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Game recap: Butler basketball loses a tight game to Xavier in Big East tournament

Butler basketball has a rematch to start the Big East tournament as it tries to work back into NCAA Tournament consideration.

The Bulldogs (18-13, 9-11) are the No. 8 seed after winning their last two regular-season games, including one over first-round opponent Xavier. Butler was considered a March Madness team before a five-game losing streak in February.

Xavier (15-16, 9-11) has lost six of its last eight games, with the victories coming over cellar-dwellers DePaul and Georgetown.

Akeem Glaspie is your best Butler basketball follow, and we will have highlights here. Please remember to refresh.

Work to do: Butler enters Big East tournament off NCAA bubble

Butler's regular-season finale: Senior night. Hated Xavier in town. A fond farewell.

Final: Xavier 76, Butler 72

Pierre Brooks scores 21, Jalen Thomas 14, Posh Alexander 14, Jahmyl Telfort 11 and D.J. Davis 10.

The Bulldogs commit 17 turnovers, some in the second half leading to Xavier breakaway layups.

Desmond Claude scores 26, Dayvion McKnight 20 and Quincy Oliveri 19 for the Musketeers, who meet No. 1 seed and defending national champ Connecticut on Thursday.

Butler box score vs. Xavier

XAVIER (16-16): Djokovic 1-5 0-0 2, Ousmane 3-8 0-0 6, Claude 11-20 3-4 26, McKnight 8-12 2-2 20, Olivari 7-19 2-3 19, Green 1-3 0-0 3, Nemeiksa 0-0 0-0 0, Nzeh 0-0 0-0 0, Ciani 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-67 7-9 76.

BUTLER (18-14): Telfort 5-12 0-1 11, Thomas 6-8 0-0 14, Alexander 5-11 3-4 14, Davis 3-11 3-3 10, Brooks 8-13 2-2 21, Moore 0-2 0-0 0, Bizjack 0-2 0-0 0, Screen 1-2 0-0 2, Kapke 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-62 8-10 72.

Halftime—Xavier 32-31. 3-Point Goals_Xavier 7-22 (Olivari 3-13, McKnight 2-4, Green 1-2, Claude 1-3), Butler 8-26 (Brooks 3-7, Thomas 2-2, Alexander 1-3, Telfort 1-4, Davis 1-7, Bizjack 0-1, Kapke 0-1, Moore 0-1). Rebounds_Xavier 36 (Olivari 9), Butler 32 (Thomas 7). Assists_Xavier 19 (Olivari 6), Butler 16 (Alexander 5). Total Fouls_Xavier 16, Butler 15.

1:44 left 2H: Xavier 71, Butler 68

Jahmyl Telfort is heading to the free-throw line out of the timeout.

Desmond Claude has 25 points, Quincy Olivari 19, Dayvion McKnight 16 for X.

4:56 left 2H: Xavier 63, Butler 62

Pierre Brooks scores inside and has 21 points, leading four in double figures for Butler. The Bulldogs' rebounding deficit is down to 4.

7:24 left 2H: Xavier 61, Butler 58

Posh Alexander's tying 3 rims out, but he recovers to block Desmond Claude's reverse dunk.

11:00 left 2H: Xavier 57, Butler 54

Xavier is 7-of-10 on 3s in the second half, Butler 7-of-10 on 2s. Xavier's bench has 3 points, Butler's 2. Desmond Claude has 21 points, Quincy Olivari 17. Pierre Brooks has 17 for Butler.

15:46 left 2H: Xavier hits 3s, Butler shoots free throws

Butler 46, Xavier 43

Over the first 4:14 of the second half, it's Xavier 14, Butler 12.

Dayvion McKnight hits Xavier's first 3 of the game at the 17:40 mark. The Musketeers add 3 more before the timeout.

D.J. Davis gets the and-1, Butler's first free throw attempt of the game. Posh Alexander also gets to the line.

Posh Alexander returns for the second half.

Halftime: Xavier 32, Butler 31

Butler is 8-of-20 on 2-pointers, 5-of-14 on 3s. Pierre Brooks is 3-of-4 from long range with 13 points.

Posh Alexander remained in the locker room the rest of the half after going down. He has 7 points.

Xavier is 14-of-26 on 2-pointers, 0-of-8 on 3s. Desmond Claude has 16 points. The Musketeers are +15 rebounding but have 10 turnovers.

There have been 14 lead changes.

3:15 left 1H: Butler-Xavier remains tight

Butler 26, Xavier 26

Xavier's Desmond Claude has 10 points, Quincy Olivari has 8. Pierre Books has 8 for the Bulldogs.

5:31 left 1H: Posh Alexander leaves with injury

Butler 24, Xavier 22

Posh Alexander goes down after a drive to the basket, holding his right knee. He needs help putting weight on his leg heading to the locker room. Andre Screen got the putback on the play.

Jalen Thomas picks up foul No. 2 with 6:27 to go, and Andre Screen comes in.

6:56 left 1H: Xavier, Butler swap scoring runs

Butler 22, Xavier 22

Jalen Thomas hits a 3 to snap Butler's skid, and the Bulldogs go on a 7-point run. Xavier's Quincy Olivari has 2 fouls.

The Musketeers score 8 in a row to take a 22-15 lead. They are 10-of-18 on 2-pointers and own a +12 rebound edge.

12:32 left 1H: Xavier 14, Butler 13

Xavier is strong inside: 6-of-9 on 2-pointers. Butler is strong outside: 3-of-7 on 3s. Xavier is already +8 in rebounding.

15:43 left 1H: Jahmyl Telfort is in foul trouble

Butler 8, Xavier 6

Pierre Brooks has a pair of 3-pointers already.

Jahmyl Telfort picks up foul No. 2 at the 16:55 mark. Landon Moore checks in.

Xavier's Dayvion McKnight gets the first points, but Butler's D.J. Davis counters for Butler's first scoring.

Butler misses its first 4 shots. Xavier commits turnovers on its first two possessions.

Butler basketball starting lineup vs. Xavier

Butler: D.J. Davis, Posh Alexander, Jahmyl Telfort, Pierre Brooks, Jalen Thomas

Xavier: Desmond Claude, Quincy Olivari, DAyvion McKnight, Lazar Djokovic, Abou Ousmane

Butler Blue IV is ready to go

Butler basketball NET ranking

From the NCAA as of March 12

Butler, 65

Xavier, 64

Butler basketball start time in the Big East tournament?

4 p.m. ET Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at Madison Square Garden in New York.

How can I watch Butler in the Big East tournament?

TV: FS1

Radio: 1430 AM in Indianapolis, with Mark Minner (play-by-play) and Nick Gardner (analysis).

Streaming: SiriusXM Channels 138, 201 and 964, Varsity Network

Butler's possible path in the Big East tournament

With time ET, TV

Quarterfinals: Noon Thursday vs. Connecticut, FS1

Semifinals: 5:30 p.m. Friday, Fox

Championship: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Fox

Is Butler favored in the Big East tournament?

via BetMGM

Favorite: Xavier by 1.5 points

Over/under: 150.5 total points

Moneyline: Xavier -125, Butler +105

Butler basketball schedule

Date, day

location, opponent

time, TV/result

Oct. 28, Saturday

vs. Ohio Northern (exhibition)

W, 78-46

Nov. 1, Wednesday

vs. Franklin (exhibition)

W, 91-54

Nov. 6, Monday

vs. Eastern Michigan

W, 94-55

Nov. 10, Friday

vs. Southeast Missouri State

W, 91-56

Nov. 13, Monday

vs. East Tennessee State

W, 81-47

Nov. 17, Friday

at Michigan State

L, 74-54

Nov. 23, Thursday

vs. Florida Atlantic in Orlando

L, 91-86

Nov. 24, Friday

vs. Penn State in Orlando

W, 88-78

Nov. 26, Sunday

vs. Boise State in Orlando

W, 70-56

Nov. 30, Thursday

vs. Texas Tech

W 103-95, OT

Dec. 5, Tuesday

vs. Buffalo

W, 72-59

Dec. 9, Saturday

vs. California

W, 97-90, 2 OT

Dec. 15, Friday

vs. Saginaw Valley State

W, 96-70

Dec. 19, Tuesday

vs. Georgetown

W, 74-64

Dec. 23, Saturday

at Providence

L, 85-75, OT

Jan. 2, Tuesday

at St. John's

L, 86-70

Jan. 5, Friday

vs. Connecticut

L, 88-81

Jan. 10, Wednesday

at Marquette

W, 69-62

Jan. 13, Saturday

vs. Seton Hall

L, 78-72

Jan. 16, Tuesday

at Xavier

L, 85-71

Jan. 20, Saturday

vs. DePaul

W, 74-60

Jan. 23, Tuesday

at Georgetown

W, 90-66

Jan. 27, Saturday

vs. Villanova

W, 88-81, 2 OT

Feb. 2, Friday

at Creighton

W, 99-98

Feb. 6, Tuesday

at Connecticut

L, 71-62

Feb. 10, Saturday

vs. Providence

W, 75-72

Feb. 13, Tuesday

vs. Marquette

L, 78-72

Feb. 17, Saturday

vs. Creighton

L, 79-57

Feb. 20, Tuesday

at Villanova

L, 72-62

Feb. 24, Saturday

at Seton Hall

L, 76-64

Feb. 28, Wednesday

vs. St. John's

L, 82-59

March 2, Saturday

at DePaul

W, 82-63

March 6, Wednesday

vs. Xavier

W, 72-66

March 13-16

Big East tournament in New York

March 13, Wednesday

vs. Xavier

4 p.m. ET, FS1

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball vs. Xavier in Big East tournament score updates