Men’s basketball: Bulldogs drop second game against Georgetown

BY MATTHEW VANTRYON | ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

The Butler men’s basketball team traveled to Georgetown on Saturday afternoon looking to get a win after dropping three of its last four games.

Despite a career-high scoring output from a freshman who is solidifying himself in the starting lineup, the Bulldogs (12-11, 2-9) faltered and fell 71-63.

Forward Andrew Chrabascz scored a career-high 22 points in the game, shooting 9-of-12 from the floor while sinking 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

Sophomore guard Kellen Dunham scored 15 points and senior Khyle Marshall scored 10 on the afternoon. But it was not enough to overcome the Hoyas (13-9, 5-6), who defeated the Bulldogs 70-67 in overtime on Jan. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Butler continued its early-game offensive struggles, beginning the contest 0-for-7 from the floor before Chrabascz tallied the team’s first field goal with a layup nearly four minutes in.

Chrabascz led the team with 10 points in the half, shooting 4-of-6 from the floor.

Shortly after Chrabascz’s score, Dunham hit back-to-back 3-pointers, and Butler used the momentum to go on an 8-0 run and open up a seven-point lead with just over 13 minutes to play in the half.

Georgetown was held scoreless for nearly four consecutive minutes during the run.

However, the Hoyas increased their defensive pressure and forced six Butler turnovers in the half. They used a 3-point basket to take a 21-20 lead with 3:21 to play in the first half.

Butler struggled from the floor in the half, shooting 10-for-29 despite grabbing nine offensive rebounds.

Georgetown took a 29-25 lead into the half, but Chrabascz set out to single-handedly erase the Hoyas’ advantage out of the locker room.

The freshman scored Butler’s first 10 points in the second half. He was the only Bulldog to score between the 2:43 mark of the first half and the 14:37 mark of the second.

Chrabascz’s dominance was not enough to stop Georgetown’s offensive work, however. A free throw by the freshman cut the deficit to two with 16:31 remaining in the contest, but that was as close as Butler would come.

Georgetown consistently hit shots, and Butler consistently found itself down by two or three possessions. The deficit widened to double digits midway through the half, as Butler’s offense scuffled down the stretch.

Butler managed to give itself a fighting chance late when junior forward Kameron Woods hit a layup and free throw to cut the deficit to 60-56 with about two minutes to play.

The Bulldogs were forced to foul the Hoyas as time ran down. Georgetown capitalized, hitting 7-of-8 from the line as time wound down.

Georgetown hit 16-of-19 from the line in the contest.

Butler will return home to face Xavier Tuesday night. Tip-off is at 9 p.m.

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