Dec. 30, 2006

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

MILWAUKEE - Mike Green scored 16 points, including 12 from the free throw line, to lead 15th-ranked Butler to an intense 55-50 win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Saturday night at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

Avery Smith scored 21 points and Paige Paulsen added 17 for the Panthers (3-11), who made just 14-of-27 free throws and could not overcome the Bulldogs' 26-of-37 night from the stripe.

The key moment late in the game came after the Panthers, who led most of the first half, pulled back to within 47-45 on a Paulsen layin with 1:17 left. On Butler's next possession, Mike Green drove down the lane and ran into UWM's Kaylan Anderson, who was called for a disputed blocking foul. Green hit both free throws to extend to the lead to four with 52 seconds left and UWM never had the ball back with a chance to tie or lead after that.

A.J. Graves added 14 points, all in the second half, for Butler (13-1), which turned the ball over 15 times and shot just 34 percent from the field.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, shot 40 percent for the night but committed 17 turnovers of its own.

"You have to give credit where credit is due. Butler's discipline, their ability to stay focused on both ends of the floor, I thought was the difference down the stretch," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "You've got to make free throws and you've got to take care of the basketball if you want to win games when you play like this."

The second half saw nine ties and seven lead changes, with the Panthers claiming a 35-32 lead on a three-point play by Paulsen with 6:58 remaining. UWM took its final lead of the night at 39-38 on a pair of Smith free throws with 4:08 remaining before Butler took the lead for good at 42-40 on a laying by Drew Streicher with 3:26 remaining.

The flurry involving Green and Anderson came after Butler had pushed its lead to five at 47-42 on a free throw by Green with 1:32 left. The Paulsen layin followed 15 seconds later before the Green free throws restored a two-possession advantage for Butler.

The teams played to a 19-all tie in a hard-fought first half. The Panthers jumped out to a 12-7 lead on a Paulsen three with 7:39 remaining and eventually led 19-11 on a layin by Ricky Franklin with 4:37 left.

But, the Bulldogs closed the half on an 8-0 run aided by five UWM turnovers in the final four minutes. A five-point possession that included a three by Julian Betko made it 19-16 and a single free throw by Brian Ligon with 52 seconds remaining tied the game.

"We were not going to take quick shots, we were going to take good shots," Jeter said of the low-scoring first half. "I thought we moved the ball well and we had the ball in positions where we wanted it. Then we had to make shots with the shot clock running down just like they did."

UWM wraps up its three-game homestand by welcoming Detroit to the U.S. Cellular Arena Thursday night. The game tips off at 7 p.m. CST.