Xavier vs. Butler Live Blog

UPDATE 6:41 - Both teams are on the floor, shooting around. Cintas Center is still relatively empty less than 20 minutes before tip-off, especially considering this game is sold out. The weather is most definitely playing a role in the late arrivals. A "wintry mix" fell on Cincinnati this afternoon, causing treacherous driving conditions.

UPDATE 7:10 - Head coach Sean Miller prognosticated it may take the Musketeers a few minutes to get into this game after last weekend's loss to Duke. After junior Derrick Brown scored the first two points of the contest with his signature move, a dunk, the Bulldogs rattled off eight straight points - including two threes from Willie Veasley. The two teams headed into the first media timeout with Butler leading, 10-4.

UPDATE 7:19 - Freshman Kenny Frease has had a good showing early in this game. He's scored six straight points for XU and has three rebounds.

UPDATE 7:28 - Freshman Terrell Holloway's running jumper at 8:46 was the Musketeers' first field goal since Frease's jumper at 14:12. With that kind of drought one would think Butler should be ahead by more than five, 17-12, but XU's smothering defense has created several Bulldog turnovers and Xavier also has seven blocks already in the contest.

UPDATE 7:40 - Back-to-back threes from senior BJ Raymond and sophomore Dante Jackson got XU right back into this game as the score was knotted at 21 apiece with just under five minutes remaining in the first half. The Butler bench thought it best to cool off a hot-handed XU and called a quick 30-second break.

UPDATE 7:45 - Freshman Brad Redford is back in the game for Xavier and he stepped about a foot back behind the three-point line and launched a beautiful three with a Bulldog in his face. The ball swished through the bottom of the net to give XU its first lead, 26-24, since leading 2-0 to start the contest. BU's Ronald Nored answered with a three of his own. Butler's back on top, 27-26.

UPDATE 7:50 - Heading into intermission, Butler is leading by three, 29-26. Three Bulldogs have six points while XU's Jackson leads all scorers with seven. Xavier trailed by three to Miami, 27-24, at halftime back on Nov. 29 in a similar low-scoring event. In that game, the Musketeers outscored the RedHawks 36-26 in the second frame to collect the seven-point victory. Here's hoping this game turns out the same way.

UPDATE 8:06 - About a minute into the first half junior Jason Love and Butler's Matt Howard seem to be having some words under the basket. The refs stopped play to bring both guys together and have a little talk. The next trip down the floor for the Bulldogs Love fouled Howard on his way to the basket. Hmmm.

UPDATE 8:24 - Another tussle between Love and Howard resulted in Howard completing an old-fashioned three-point play to give the Bulldogs the six-point lead, 42-36. Xavier managed to put together a 6-0 run to pull to within two, 44-42, capped off by a putback by Derrick Brown. Brown only has five points so far in this contest; he averages 14.4.

UPDATE 8:28 - BU's Veasley just hit his fourth three of the night to end the XU run. After the media timeout, Veasley picked up his fourth foul as well. Redford drained two free throws on the ensuing possession. After an empty trip down the floor for Butler, Brown snatched on offensive rebound and "SLAMMMMMMMMMED" it home, as Cintas Center annoucer Herb Bauer would say. The Bulldogs called a timeout to quiet the crowd. BU still leads, 49-46.

UPDATE 8:40 - Garrett Butcher must have thought Derrick Brown wouldn't shoot a three because he definitely wasn't gaurding him so Brown swished it. Holloway converted on an and-one situation to get XU to within one, 53-52, but Gordon Hayward answered with a three. .... Cintas Center has errupted in a chorus of boos that has lasted the entire media timeout and now continues as play resumes. Brown was called for traveling after the made three and the 10,250 other refs in the building disagreed.

UPDATE 8:44 - And the booing continues...

UPDATE 8:48 - And just when you thought it was over, the same ref calls a foul on Redford and ... more boos.

UPDATE 8:54 - With 3:37 left, the last media timeout has been called. Xavier has the ball with 11 remaining on the shot clock, trailing by six. This one seems like it is going to come down to a marathon of free throws (there have been 36 taken in this contest so far).

UPDATE 8:59 - Xavier head coach Sean Miller has just received a technical foul. Seems like he was talking to the ref that everyone keeps booing at. Wonder what he said?

UPDATE 9:05 - Another three from Brown (they just don't seem to think he'll shoot it) and Xavier is back to within three, 68-65, with just under two left.

UPDATE 9:08 - 49.7 seconds remain, Butler has the ball with three on the shot clock and a five-point advantage, 70-65. Check in with www.GOXAVIER.com to find out the outcome of the game.