Butler rides OT free throws to men's basketball championship game
March 3, 2007
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FAIRBORN, Ohio (AP) -- Despite a strong record and Top 25 ranking, Butler is taking nothing for granted.
A.J. Graves, the nation's second-leading free-throw shooter, hit six foul shots in the final 53 seconds of overtime to lead the 18th-ranked Bulldogs to a 67-66 victory over Loyola of Chicago in the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament on Saturday night.
The win was just one more plus on Butler's postseason résumé.
"It was a step in the right direction," said Brandon Crone, who led second-seeded Butler with 17 points. "We don't want to put it in the (NCAA selection) committee's hands."
Butler (27-5) shared the Horizon League's regular-season title with Wright State, but had to travel because the Raiders won a tiebreaker to get the top seed. Wright State (22-9) beat fourth-seeded Wisconsin-Green Bay 67-51 in the other semifinal. The championship game -- and an automatic NCAA Tournament berth -- will be decided Tuesday night.
Graves, who didn't have a field goal, finished with 12 points. Averaging 17.3 points coming in, he was 12-for-12 at the line -- and 0-for-9 from the field. He's shooting 95.4 percent from the line this season.
"It was gratifying to get a win," coach Todd Lickliter said. "It doesn't have to be pretty -- you just have to hang tough."
Blake Schilb scored 29 points and J.R. Blount had 15 for the third-seeded Ramblers (21-11), who lost two overtime games against Butler this season and won one 75-71.
Totaling up the three games, Butler outscored Loyola 208-207. It was that close all season, and particularly so in the teams' biggest game to date.
"I didn't want to lose," an emotional Schilb said. "You always wonder how your college career will end. I don't know if I'll ever play another college game."
The Bulldogs were 10-for-10 from the line over the final 1:51 and didn't score a field goal over the final 4:25 of overtime.
"It was a sense of relief to put this behind us and prepare for the championship game," Crone said.
Schilb had forced the overtime by hitting a running half-hook with 33 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 54.
The Bulldogs ran the clock down before calling timeout with 14.8 seconds left. Graves then drove from the top of the key to the right baseline, attempting to draw a foul on Majak Kou. But Graves' off-balance shot from 12 feet was an airball and the rebound went off teammate Julian Betko's hands and out of bounds with two seconds left.
On the final play of regulation, Andy Polka inbounded to midcourt to Schilb, who got a wide-open look. His 3-pointer left his hand just before the buzzer sounded and bounded off the back of the rim.
The teams were tied at 61 with 1:11 left in the overtime, before Graves took the game over in his own quiet way.
Graves made the defensive play of the game, stepping in front of a Schilb pass and driving the distance before being fouled with 52.4 seconds left. He hit both free throws.
Loyola turned it over again, throwing the ball away on an inbounds play, with Graves again fouled on the play and hitting both shots for a 65-61 lead with 28 seconds left.
"He found another way to score," Lickliter said of Graves' offensive contributions.
Schilb banged in a 3 at the other end before Graves was fouled on the inbounds pass and converted two more to make it 67-64. Kou's basket cut it to one.
Graves turned the ball over when he was forced out of bounds in a multiplayer trap, but Schilb's shot while slicing through the heart of the lane was off the mark and a tip also missed, the ball going out of bounds to Loyola.
The Ramblers inbounded to Blount, but he was tied up and was unable to get off a shot.
"It's difficult to be up here as a losing coach. It was up for grabs until the last play," Loyola's Jim Whitesell said. "One more possession -- that's what it came down to."
Notes and Quotes
No. 2 Butler 67, No. 3 Loyola 66
Butler Head Coach Todd Lickliter
On the game:
"We played really good teams this year. Conference play has been demanding. Loyola is well balanced; they put you in tough sports, and they are well coached. It's gratifying to get a win down the wire. It doesn't have to be pretty. Our guys hung tough. I'm proud of them. It was a great game for our league. There have been three well-played games."
On the last 10 seconds of OT:
"It was tense. I made a mistake. I was concerned when we inbounced in the corner and called a timeout. I tried to wave it off, but they wouldn't. We tried to inbound to AJ to get him fouled. We take great pride in defending and that was our chance. I thought Brian Lighton was huge. He has guarded multiple positions for us."
Win without Graves having a field goal:
"It says more about their team. They really defended him well. He went 12 for 1 from the line. He found a way to score."
Butler player Pete Campbell
On Graves off night:
"He struggled a little bit, but played really well. We're not a one-man team. He set up Brandon (Woods) in regulation and got me some good looks. Even though he was not hitting, he was drawing attention on off-the-ball schemes."
On the atmosphere:
"We played neck and neck. It got more tense and more louder after each team made a basket. We looked at each other, set our defense and got the stop. The atmosphere was amazing at the end."
Butler player Brandon Crone
On Loyola:
"Loyola has played us tough all three times. We had to bare down and (Brian) Ligon was the player of the game."
On the first-round bye and it's effects:
"To get your legs fresh was good. My legs were fresh. To take them to overtime helped us."
Goal to win the league:
"This was a step in the right direction. We don't want it in the committee's hands. We're not secure until we have the championship at hand."
Loyola Head Coach Jim Whitesell
On the game:
"It was a great basketball game. It's tough to be up here as the losing coach. I'm proud of our guys. It was anyone's game until the last play. We though this game would be. They fought the whole time; every position. It's tough for us to take. Congratulations to Butler."
On the last 10 seconds of OT
"Guys did a great job doubling up and he stepped out of bounds. We got a good shot. JR made a good cut and he was fouled. Good execution by these guys. It was what it was at the end. We played to the last buzzer. You have to against Butler."
On the close game with Butler:
"I'd love to have one more possession. You saw two teams playing their butts off. It was a great basketball game. It looked like Blakes' shot was in at the end of regulation. Give me one more possession."
Loyola player Blake Schilb
On the last play:
"I didn't see J.R. until the last second. It was slightly too late. I still thought it might get tied up before the time ran out.
Your thoughts as the game progressed and the future:
"I was thinking I didn't want to lose. It's always tough. You wonder how your season/career will end. I'm not sure if I'll play another college game. I had fun at Loyola and if I'm' going out, it was the way to go."
Loyola player J.R. Blount
On the last play:
"There wasn't a lot of time. I took a cut and Blake found me. I saw the ref call a jump ball. There's nothing we can do about it now?
Notes:
