Kamar Baldwin takes a shot. Baldwin tallied 14 points in the team’s loss against Purdue. Photo by Jimmy Lafakis
JOSHUA DOERING | ASST. SPORTS EDITOR | jdoering@butler.edu
The Butler men’s basketball team’s season came to an end in the Round of 32 with a 76-73 loss to the Purdue Boilermakers. Butler clawed their way back into the game late and showed the resiliency that has defined this team all season. At the end of the day, someone had to go home and Purdue made one more play in the final seconds to grab the win. Here are three takeaways from the final game of the 2017-18 Butler basketball season.
1. The Bulldogs almost kept the 3-point line even.
Purdue came into the game ranked second in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage, converting at 42 percent clip. Winning the perimeter against the Boilermakers is a monumental task and the Bulldogs were up for the challenge. Butler knocked down four of their first five triples and continued to connect from deep early on. The Bulldogs were 5-for-10 from three in the first half, an incredibly efficient performance in any game, much less one in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue also hit five 3-pointers in the first half, but needed an extra two attempts to do so.
The Boilermakers did shoot 46 percent from deep, but made some really tough shots, including the one by Dakota Mathias with 13 seconds left. However, Butler was 1-for-10 from three in the second half, which really hurt them in the end. A couple more of those go in and they squeak out a win. Purdue outscored the Bulldogs by 15 points from beyond the arc in the second half, which ended up being the difference in the game.
“It came down to the 3-point line, which you knew, obviously with Haas out, that the 3-point line would be a huge factor,” Butler coach LaVall Jordan said. “And at the end of the day, Mathias steps up and drills one.”
Photos by Jimmy Lafakis
2. Free throws and rebounding was a tale of two halves.
In the first half, Butler shot a higher percentage from the field and from three, only turned the ball over four times and had more bench points than Purdue. Despite all that, the Boilermakers entered halftime with a four-point edge thanks to a 20-13 rebounding advantage and 15 free throw attempts. Butler committed 13 fouls in the opening 20 minutes, partly because of Purdue’s domination on the boards. It’s hard enough beating the Boilermakers without giving them extra possessions and free throws. When that’s happening, it’s nearly impossible.
The second half was a completely different story. Butler outrebounded Purdue 15-10 and held the Boilermakers to three free throw attempts while going 6-for-7 themselves. The Bulldogs only committed seven fouls after halftime and limited the Boilermakers to a very respectable two offensive rebounds. When their threes stopped falling, Butler needed to find another way to stay in the game. Give them credit for doing so. Those adjustments were the biggest reason this game went down to the wire.
3. Butler lost to a really, really good basketball team.
There is absolutely no question the Bulldogs went down fighting. Purdue is a No. 2 seed for a reason and played like one against Butler. Even without Isaac Haas, this is one of the best offensive teams in the country. Their three senior guards with loads of experience are a major benefit, especially in March. Butler gave them everything they could handle and nearly pulled off the upset. Every Butler fan should be proud of this team and the improvements they made as the season went on.
As this was Kelan Martin and Tyler Wideman’s final game in a Butler uniform, it’s only right to acknowledge everything they’ve done for this program. They both took on leadership roles this year and were vital to the transition from one coaching staff to another. Wideman was a steady force in the paint his entire Butler career and a terrific teammate. Martin had an outstanding senior season and went out in style with 29 points on 50 percent shooting. Things will not be the same without these two guys next season.
“I think [Wideman and Martin] leave a legacy the same as the classes that have been through Butler before them,” Jordan said. “That they showed toughness, they showed resiliency, grit. They went down fighting to the very last possession.”
