The game was off to a slow start on both sides, as the two teams played tough defense and sloppy offense. Butler's Ronald Nored scored on a jumper at the midway point of the first half to make it 12-6. That's right, 10 minutes of play, and both teams combined for 18 points. Kyle Kelm and James Haarsma finally got the offense going for the Panthers and Tony Meier's 3 pointer with 1:47 to go in the first half pulled Milwaukee to within one, 18-17, and after trading baskets and missing a few free throws, Rob Jeter's crew headed into the locker room at the half down 22-18.
The Bulldogs came out in the second half looking like a team with tournament experience and started off with a 9-0 run, taking a 35-18 lead. Paris Gulley finally got brought some fire and intensity to the team when he was fouled on a layup and converted the free throw. On the next trip down court Kyle Kelm connected on a three pointer. Playing with some inspired defense the Panthers started to frustrate Butler, and after Kyle Marshall foul, Ryan Haggerty connected on a pair of free throws to close the gap to seven, 33-26.
On the next trip down court Butler's Roosevelt Jones hit Marshall for a high flying highlight reel ally-oop that posterized Kyle Kelm, who fouled Marshall on the play. From there it was all down hill, the Bulldogs could do no wrong as they went on another 9-0 run, and the Panthers had no answer.
Losses like that are hard to take, especially for seniors Tony Meier, Ryan Allen and Kaylon Williams who were in their final run at the NCAAs. The bright spot for the Panthers was the performance of James Haarsma. The junior had nine points and six rebounds. During the game the play by play crew described Haarsma as the old Detroit Pistons Bad Boy Bill Laimbeer, though Haarsma only had one foul during the game, when he was caught under a failed ally-oop.
Now the Panthers have to sit back and see if their work is worthy of an NIT bid, hoping for another chance to extend the season.
| Butler Bulldogs |
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| Players | MIN |
FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| K. Marshall | 30 | 8-13 | 0-0 | 1-5 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| R. Jones | 28 | 8-11 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| A. Smith | 19 | 4-8 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| R. Nored | 28 | 1-7 | 0-4 | 3-5 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| C. Hopkins | 27 | 2-6 | 0-1 | 3-4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| G. Butcher | 5 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| E. Kampen | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C. Stigall | 21 | 2-5 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| E. Fromm | 16 | 2-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| A. Smeathers | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A. Barlow | 2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| J. Aldridge | 11 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| E. Kampen | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K. Woods | 10 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| TOTALS | 200 | 29-58 | 2-12 | 11-20 | 13 | 42 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 19 | 71 |
| 50.0% | 16.7% | 55.0% | ||||||||||
| Milwaukee Panthers | ||||||||||||
| Players | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| T. Meier | 26 | 2-6 | 1-5 | 3-4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| J. Haarsma | 34 | 3-11 | 2-6 | 1-4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| K. Williams | 35 | 3-9 | 1-4 | 1-3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 8 |
| R. Allen | 29 | 2-5 | 0-1 | 4-6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| P. Gulley | 27 | 1-7 | 0-3 | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| R. Haggerty | 11 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| K. Kelm | 19 | 2-4 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| E. Richard | 2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| S. Boga | 16 | 2-4 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| D. Harris | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTALS | 200 | 15-47 | 6-23 | 13-22 | 6 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 18 | 49 |
| 31.9% | 26.1% | 59.1% | ||||||||||
| Technicals: 1 WISCMILW ( ) BUTLER ( R Jones 1 ) | ||||||||||||
| Officials: Zelton Steed, Todd Williams, Buddy Mayborg | ||||||||||||
| Attendance: 2,239 | ||||||||||||
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