You can thank turnovers — Syracuse committed 17 of them, allowing the Bulldogs to attempt four more field goals in the game, despite being outrebounded. Those four attempts proved to be the difference. Hayward, Mack and Veasley were the leaders for Butler, scoring 17, 14 and 14, respectively.
Check out more on Butler's surprising 63-59 win here.
Second half, 0:37, Butler 61-54: Amazing turn of events — Butler goes on a 7-0 run in just two minutes. Turnovers did it to the Orange again — two of them at the worst possible time. If the Bulldogs hit their free throws, it's over.
Second half, 2:33, Butler 55-54: Ronald Nored hit a 3-pointer and Matt Howard rolled right around Jackson (cautious, with four fouls) to pull the Bulldogs back into the lead.
Second half, 3:46, Syracuse 54-50: The Orange have limited their turnovers in the second half, committing just three while committing 12 in the first 20 minutes. They're also winning the rebounding battle, 30-27, and outshooting Butler 45 percent to 36 percent. Still, Hayward is hot for the Bulldogs.
Second half, 5:18, Syracuse, 54-50: The Orange pick up their second lead of the game. No surprise, it comes on the back of a Rautins 3-pointer and a dunk in transition for Joseph. This is Syracuse's game: triples and fast-breaks. They're 44 percent from 3-land, to Butler's 18 percent.
Second half, 7:32, Butler 50-48: Now 'Cuse's Jackson has four — Boeheim has to put the inexperienced Riley back in.
Second half, 8:24, Butler 48-48: This could be a problem for Butler: Matt Howard just picked up his fourth foul, forcing him to the bench and giving the 'Cuse a distinct advantage in size in the post. Jardine continues to pick up steam from outside, hitting two straight to this point. The Orange have now hit six treys.
Second half, 10:10, Butler 45-43: Rick Jackson picks up his third foul, but the 3-ball continues to keep the Orange in the game, as Jardine drilled one on their most recent possession. This could provide the light in the Bulldogs' defense that 'Cuse needs.
Second half, 12:18, Butler 43-40: Gordy Howard answers quickly, scoring two straight in the paint to pull the 'Dogs back into the driver's seat. Syracuse needs to do a better job of getting back into position in transition defense. But Rautins and Johnson — way too quiet in the first half — are finally waking up, now with a combined 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
Second half, 13:27, Syracuse 40-39: And just like that, the 'Cuse have taken a lead — their first of the game. The Bulldogs have committed two straight turnovers, prompting an 8-0 drive for the No. 1 seed.
Second half, 14:18, Butler 39-35: Rautins just hit what looked like a 26-foot triple, followed by a turnover by Butler — just their fourth of the game. The Orange are fighting to stay within striking distance.
Second half, 15:32, Butler 39-32: Another turnover by the Orange; make it two already for the half, 14 overall. Can't tell if it's good defense, or absolute incompetence from Syracuse. Bottom line, they have to try to get the ball inside on the Bulldogs, who are undersized.
Second half, 17:32, Butler 35-30: A 3-pointer from Rautins and a nice post move by Johnson pull 'Cuse to within five quickly.
Second half, 19:20, Butler 35-25: Syracuse opens the second half with a wild 3-point attempt from Brandon Triche, with no one yet underneath to rebound. This is why they're shooting 37 percent.
End of first half, Butler 35-25: Story of the first half is easy: turnovers by Syracuse. They committed 12 of them in 20 minutes, giving the Bulldogs a 30-to-21 field-goal advantage.
Both Rautins and Johnson, meanwhile, were stifled, scoring six points apiece on a combined 3-of-5 shooting. The bright spot for the Orange? They held Butler to 3-for-13 shooting from beyond the arc, allowing them — despite a woeful showing — to stay within striking distance for the second half.
Go get some popcorn and a soda and return for the next 20 minutes of play.
First half, 3:25, Butler 31-21: This just in: The Bulldogs have committed their first turnover — to the Orange's 10. Shelvin Mack, as a statistical note, is the leading scorer, posting 12 to this point on 4-of-10 shooting. Wes Johnson? Non-existent, getting just two field-goal attempts to this point.
First half, 4:08, Butler 31-19: Scoop Jardine just shot a 25-foot trey that missed everything, followed at the other end by a wide-open 3 for Butler. Bottom line, 'Cuse is turning it over too much, and taking terrible shots when it doesn't. Butler, meanwhile, is shooting just 38.5 percent but has taken 12 more shots.
First half, 6:38, Butler 24-14: Lead is back to 10, as the 'Dogs continue to get into the seams of Syracuse's vaunted zone defense — specifically at the elbow, where the Orange have a gap. On offense, 'Cuse needs to get into the paint; they're much, much bigger than this Butler team but are shooting just 33 percent.
First half, 7:36, Butler 19-12: And another turnover for Joseph. He's gotta get his head screwed on straight; 'Cuse has eight TO's now.
First half, 9:28, Butler 15-8: A couple of more problems for the Orange early: 1. Kris Joseph has been terrible, going 0-for-2 from the field and committing two turnovers; and 2. Rick Jackson now has two fouls, which means Riley (who seems to have no clue) could have to come back in soon.
First half, 11:45, Butler 13-6: Andy needs to get hot, and it looks like he just got started, hitting a deep triple to quickly close the gap. The Orange are definitely confused by Butler's defense at the moment, already committing six turnovers.
First half, 13:01, Butler 12-1: DaShonte Riley just came into the game for Rick Jackson. He was in for less than a minute before Matt Howard (the guy with the mustache) took it straight at him and drew a foul — at which point Boeheim took Riley out and reinserted Jackson. Great coaching.
First half, 13:54, Butler 10-1: Gordon Hayward just drilled a trey to put Butler up nine. The Orange are 0-for-4 from the field.
First half, 15:30, Butler 5-0: Sloppy, sloppy play from 'Cuse, which already has five turnovers. Four turnovers in four and a half minutes — not good.
First half, 18:00, Butler 3-0: Bulldogs strike first, on a three from Shelvin Mack, the second-leading scorer on the team and a serious threat from downtown.
7:08 p.m.: Can't decide if Gus Johnson is a great play-by-play guy, or just annoying.
7:02 p.m.: How underrated is Andy Rautins? Talk amongst ya-selves.
8 a.m.: It's No. 1 vs. No. 5. The former unranked-turned-top-seed powerhouse against the perennial underdog that somehow maintains that mystique even as a fifth seed.
Word is, Syracuse's Arinze Onuaku (right quadriceps) will again be sidelined, leaving Rick Jackson as the Orange's hope inside. Fortunately for Jim Boeheim's club, it has Wesley Johnson, perhaps the best player in the country, and Andy Rautins, perhaps the most underrated.
Can the Bulldogs' Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack keep Butler above water long enough to strike at the finish? Keep posted here.
