INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -There’s no nickname for them. The column on the stat sheets says “Points Off Turnovers.” It doesn’t need any more description.
Butler took advantage of them and reached the national championship game in its hometown.
The Bulldogs turned 16 Michigan State turnovers into 20 points in a 52-50 victory on Saturday night.
Michigan State managed only two points off the Bulldogs’ eight turnovers.
Take care of the ball and score when the other team doesn’t.
Sounds simple, huh?
Butler was good enough following that credo to offset a terrible shooting performance and move within a win of one of college basketball’s most unlikely titles.
The Bulldogs, the champions of the mid-major labeled Horizon League making their first Final Four appearance, started early in taking advantage of mistakes by the Spartans, the team from the Big Ten that was in the national semifinals for the sixth time in 12 years.
When Delvon Roe turned the ball over just 2:17 into the game, it took only 12 seconds for Butler’s Gordon Hayward to hit a 3-pointer that tied it 6-all.
Michigan State’s second turnover 37 seconds later turned into a free throw by Shelvin Mack, and the Bulldogs were up 7-6.
A mistake by Michigan State point guard Korie Lucious with less than a minute to play in the first half became a fast-break 3-pointer by Mack that made it 28-all.
Despite making just six of 25 shots in the second half, Butler was able to hold the lead for most of the final 20 minutes by converting mistakes into cherished points.
The Bulldogs’ biggest lead, 44-37, came when Willie Veasley dunked on a fast break after Lucious threw a bad pass. There weren’t many field goals for Butler, but free throws after turnovers count just the same and the Bulldogs had a bunch of those to keep the Spartans at bay.
It wasn’t a blowout by any means.
It was another win in an improbable run by a team that was ranked for most of the season and finished 11th in the final poll, two spots ahead of Michigan State.
Both teams were No. 5 seeds in the NCAA tournament.
One took care of the ball and made sure the other paid for it when it didn’t.
Butler has committed 51 turnovers in its five NCAA tournament games. The Bulldogs have forced the opposition into 79.
Maybe “Points Off Turnovers” can be called the “Butler Way” from now on.
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