A little Hinkle Magic as Butler upsets No. 15 Xavier in wild finish
Xavier #Xavier
Another game, another wild finish at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Tied against No. 15 Xavier, Eric Hunter Jr. took the inbound pass with nine seconds left, went coast-to-coast and attempted a dunk. The ball bounced off the rim, but Xavier was called for goaltending. Souley Boum’s 3-point heave at the buzzer missed the mark as Butler knocked off Xavier with a 69-67 win.
The win is Butler’s second in a row as the Bulldogs improve to 13-13 overall and 5-10 in Big East play.
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Here’s three reasons Butler pulled the upset over Xavier.
Manny Bates makes all the right plays
Butler is a completely different team when Manny Bates is playing well. It’s clear he’s fully healed from his mid-season knee issues and the NC State transfer has elevated his play the past two games. Against Xavier, Bates started the game 6-of-7 from the field with three assists, three rebounds and three blocks in the first half. The three rebounds don’t stand out, but his decision making from the post kept the ball moving and generated open looks for his teammates. The Dawgs looked for Bates early and often in the paint, he rewarded them with efficient play.
His defense on Xavier center Jack Nunge was superb. Bates held Nunge to six points on 2-of-8 shooting in the first half. Bates regained his explosiveness, allowing him to challenge shot with confidence and without fouling.
Bates finished with 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field.
More Bates in the second half
Xavier started the second half on a 13-5 run. During that streak, Bates had just two points. Butler used trips to the free-throw line to end the run, and Bates scored consecutive baskets and assisted on another, moving Butler’s lead back to 10 with 9:57 remaining.
Butler played big against Xavier, using lineups with Jalen Thomas and Bates in together. The lineup was successful in the first half and Thomas held his own against Nunge when playing center for Bates. Still, Butler is at its best when its offense is running through Bates. When he’s not getting touches, the offense does not move as well. When he’s in, Butler can dictate the pace, slow the game down and play inside-out.
Jayden Taylor shows killer instinct
When Butler needs a basket, Jayden Taylor is never afraid to take it. Taylor plays with a killer instinct that shines through in critical situations. With Xavier on a 7-0 run in the second half, Taylor used his defense — stripping Desmond Claude — to create two points the other way. After a Colby Jones basket, Taylor answered with a tough driving layup through contact.
Taylor is a tough-shot taker and a tough-shot maker. At times that’s good, at times he can try to do too much, relying on low-percentage shots. Taylor’s at his best when he’s playing within himself, but he has the self awareness to know that getting to the free-throw line is a valuable skill when his shot it not falling.
The sophomore has the confidence to take a stepback 3-pointer in crunch time, missed, and came through with a tough basket o an isolation play, going behind the back twice and scoring through contact for a three-point play. Taylor made two technical free throws and split a pair with 13 seconds left, helping the Dawgs seal the win.
Taylor scored a team-high 20 points, including a 9-of-11 performance from the free-throw line.
Follow IndyStar Butler Insider Akeem Glaspie on Twitter at @THEAkeemGlaspie.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: A little Hinkle Magic as Butler upsets No. 15 Xavier in wild finish