Butler uses second-half runs to pull away from visiting SMU

Field Level Media|published: Fri 15th November, 21:42 2024

Butler Bulldogs fans cheer Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, during a women’s basketball game between the Butler Bulldogs and the Indiana Hoosiers at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Bulldogs defeated the Hoosiers, 56-46.

Jahmyl Telfort scored a team-high 19 points as Butler used a 16-2 second half run to win 81-70 over visiting SMU Friday night in Indianapolis.

Pierre Brooks II and reserve guard Kolby King each added 14 for the Bulldogs (3-1), while Patrick McCaffery made four of Butler's 12 3-pointers and finished with 12 points. Finley Bizjack added 11 points and Andre Screen chipped in 10 off the bench.

Former Butler guard Chuck Harris, who transferred to the Mustangs' program two years ago, led SMU (3-1) with a game-high 21 points in his first game back at Hinkle Fieldhouse since changing schools. Boopie Miller added 17 but on 7-of-19 shooting from the field.

Miller sank two foul shots with 13:11 remaining to give the Mustangs a 50-48 lead but it'd end up as their last lead of the night. Screen's 3-point play with 11:39 left gave the Bulldogs the lead for good at 53-50. Three minutes later, Telfort drilled a 3-pointer to give Butler a 64-52 advantage.

The teams traded points before an 8-0 Butler run, capped off by a Brooks II 3-pointer, gave the Bulldogs a 75-60 cushion with 4:50 left. Butler cruised from there to its second double-digit win this week and handed the Mustangs their first loss of the season.

Both teams struggled to find the net in the opening minutes of the first half. They combined to make just 9 of the first 31 shots as Butler held a 13-10 edge at the second TV timeout.

The Bulldogs enjoyed the first extended run, establishing a 27-19 lead at the 7:05 mark when McCaffery drilled a corner 3 off a Bizjack feed. SMU spent the next five minutes reeling Butler in, finally tying the game at 33 when Matt Cross canned two foul shots with 1:19 left.

However, McCaffery restored the Bulldogs' lead moments later by draining a deep 3-pointer off the left wing, putting them ahead 36-33 at halftime.

Neither team made 40 percent of their shots in the half, but the difference was Butler hit 6 of 14 from 3-point range while the Mustangs were just 2 of 9.

--Field Level Media