Butler rebuffs Buffalo's comeback attempt

Jahmyl Telfort and Jalen Thomas each scored 18 points as Butler held off visiting Buffalo 72-59 Tuesday night in Indianapolis, Ind.

Thomas added 10 rebounds for a double-double while Telfort logged nine rebounds and eight assists for the Bulldogs (7-2), who have won 13 straight nonconference home games and were following up a 103-point outburst in an overtime win over Texas Tech last Thursday night.

Pierre Brooks scored 17 points on three of Butler's five 3-point makes.

Sy Chatman overcame early foul trouble to lead Buffalo (1-8) with 16 points and eight boards. Chatman scored 14 on 6-of-9 shooting in the second half.

The Bulldogs were 6 of 10 from the field to start the second half, beginning with Brooks' 3-pointer from the wing and Telfort's lay-in that pushed the lead to 14. The same pair went back-to-back again as the opening run expanded to 10-2.

Butler's lead reached 55-31 with 13:21 to go. Six straight points after Kanye Jones' flush included Telfort's handoff to Thomas underneath for a dunk.

The Bulldogs used a 17-1 run to trim the 24-point deficit to eight with 6:45 to go.

Chatman highlighted the late run with eight points, including the first of back-to-back triples with Lloyd McVeigh.

Buffalo moved within single-digits after Jonnivius Smith's two free throws at 6:45. Telfort's floater ended a six-minute scoring drought for the hosts.

Telfort's layup and another by Posh Alexander in transition put momentum back on Butler's side in the final three minutes. Buffalo had hit three straight from distance, and Chatman rose through the lane for a dunk.

Thomas' dunk and Alexander's transition layup highlighted a late 8-0 run to close for the Bulldogs.

In the first half, Buffalo kept it a one-possession game until Thomas' hook shot in the paint at the 9:53 marker.

The Bulls responded with consecutive baskets and got within 17-16 on a jumper by Fulcher, who scored six of his team's eight points during a stretch near the midway point.

Butler controlled the remainder of the period, extending its lead to seven after an 8-2 spurt that finished with back-to-back Telfort baskets. His second-chance layup with 6:14 left made it 25-18.

Jones' fast-break layup at the 3:24 mark brought Buffalo back within a bucket, but Finley Bizjack's open 3-pointer closed a 6-0 run before intermission.

—Field Level Media