March 6, 2010

Box Score
Milwaukee Postgame Audio |  Video Highlights and Postgame

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Matt Howard scored 18 points to lead five players in double figures as 12th-ranked Butler claimed a 68-59 win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Saturday night in the semifinals of the Speedway Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship.

The Panthers (20-14) led by as many as 10 points in the first half and were still within a point with 6:22 to play but could not pull off the upset.

Butler (27-4) advances to Tuesday's championship game against Wright State, while UWM will wait to see if it can claim a postseason tournament berth.

UWM could simply not overcome heavy foul trouble and a 22-11 scoring deficit at the foul line. Anthony Hill scored 15 points but played just 23 minutes because of foul trouble, while James Eayrs scored 10 points but was also limited to just 20 minutes.

Milwaukee's biggest lead came at 25-15 late in the first half. But, as Hill, Eayrs and Ricky Franklin sat on the bench in foul trouble, Butler ended the half on a 13-4 run. Seven of those points came from the line, and the Bulldogs were within 29-28 at the break.

Butler took the lead for good on a Howard basket early in the second half but could never shake Milwaukee. After trailing by as many as nine, the Panthers pulled within a point on a three-pointer by Franklin with seven minutes left and again within 50-49 on a Riley Walker follow-up hoop with 6:22 remaining.

But, Butler made eight free throws over the next four minutes to regain control.

UWM was in good shape much of the first half. After Butler scored the first six points of the game, Milwaukee recovered with the next seven to take the lead and eventually went up 15-11 on a three-pointer by Eayrs with under 12 minutes remaining.

The Panthers continued to extend the advantage, with a three-pointer by Ja'Rob McCallum making it 18-12 before a three from Jerard Ajami made it 25-15 with under eight minutes to play.

That is specifically when the foul trouble caught up with the Panthers. A late first-half run bled into the second half, as Butler outscored UWM, 23-6, to build a 38-31 advantage. The Bulldogs eventually led by as many as nine but could never shake the Panthers until a very late surge pushed the lead into double digits with just over a minute to play.