'We took a heck of a punch.' But Butler's veterans didn't panic, finally put Cal to bed.

During the offseason, Butler coach Thad Matta enlisted the help of a specialist who knows a lot about coming together as a team in high-pressure situations.

Dan Quinn, a U.S. Special Forces (Green Beret) officer who served 10 years in the U.S. Army, works for Mission Six Zero, an organization of military members who help "individuals and/or teams with a sense of purpose, direction, and motivation toward common goals."

Through a series of team-building activities, the Butler basketball team — a group of 11 new players — learned how to come together and trust each other. Trust on the court is key, especially in tight, back-and-forth games. Players who were all at other schools this time last year need to trust their teammate will execute the play correctly, or trust that passing up a good shot for an even better shot will result in a made basket. These Bulldogs are playing like a team with years of experience playing together, but it's only been a few months.

"I just think we have great chemistry," Butler wing Pierre Brooks II said. "Over the summer we hung out a lot with each other. We stay in the locker room talking about things... We're going through wars together, we're fighting together.

'When he's shooting, he'll talk to me.' Finley Bizjack, mom's bond grew through basketball.

"The stuff we did over the summer with Dan Quinn, bringing the teamwork, getting the right mindset, being together as one. We stressed that over the summer, and I think we've really taken that home."

Playing 40 minutes of basketball is taxing physically and mentally. Adding 10 extra minutes to a game is even more draining — as the Bulldogs did in Saturday's 97-90 double overtime over over Cal — but the Dawgs focus on breaking the game down into four minute "wars."

After Cal jumped out to a 18-4 lead early Saturday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse, the Dawgs didn't focus on their deficit. Instead, they focused on winning each four-minute war to get back into the game.

"College basketball it's a game of runs," Butler forward Jahmyl Telfort said. "Four minutes each time... We got it closer, 'win the next one.' And we're getting closer and closer.

"You just stay level headed, just keep chipping at it."

Telfort showed the poise of someone with years of experience. After starting the game 1-for-7, the transfer from Northeastern never panicked. Telfort finished with 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting. Thirteen of his 20 points came in the two overtime sessions. D.J. Davis scored 11 of his 13 points after halftime. Posh Alexander led Butler with 21 points.

Freshman Finley Bizjack's eight first-half points helped lessen the offensive onslaught from Cal's Big 3 of Fardaws Aimaq, Jalen Cone and Keonte Kennedy. All three players scored at least 20 points, but the Dawgs made Aimaq and Cone take 20-plus shots for their points.

Kennedy shot an efficient 9-for-14 for his 20 points. He played in just his second game of the season after spraining his wrist in the preseason. Kennedy gives the Bears another go-to scorer, so their losing record without him doesn't tell the whole story of how talented they are.

“That’s the best 3-5 team in college basketball right there now that they are getting healthy," Matta said. "We took a heck of a punch from them, getting down 18-4 early, but we never wavered. Posh, Jahmyl and Pierre, their faces were stoic. We knew what had to be done and these guys executed really well throughout overtime.”

In Alexander, Telfort and Brooks, Butler has three players who embrace big moments. Alexander has three years of Big East experience and St. John's. Telfort played three years at Northeastern and has international experience playing with Team Canada. Brooks is making the biggest step up in playing time after operating as a 10th man for two years at Michigan State, but all three have a calm demeanor that serves them well in crunch-time.

It's that veteran presence Matta and his staff sought out in the transfer portal. Butler's Big 3, along with fifth-year senior Jalen Thomas and senior Andre Screen will help the Dawgs outperform low expectations with Big East play right around the corner.

"It's huge, it's powerful," Matta said of having a veteran team. "If you look across college basketball, the veteran teams — that's why (Cal) is going to win a ton of games. They've got a sixth-year guy and a fifth-year guy. They're older than we are — there's something about that.

"I kept telling them, 'You're not tired, let's keep playing. If they want to play five more (minutes), we'll play five more.’ These guys are rolling together, and I like it."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball vs. Cal: Bulldogs veteran experience key to win