“Butler uses lessons from last year’s heartbreak and holds off Northwestern for key victory”.

Northwestern had the tying basket at the rim, but the ball rolled, giving Butler a 71-69 victory in Thursday’s semifinals Tip in Arizona.

Butler (5-1) advances to Friday’s championship game at 9:30 p.m. to face the winner of UNLV/Mississippi State.

Jahmyl Telfort led Butler with 23 points. Andre Screen added 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Here are three takeaways from this hard-fought victory:

Butler finally closes out a close game

Last season, Butler found a way to let go of close games. There was a decision not to foul against Providence that led to a 3-point tie. Butler then lost to the Friars in overtime. The Dawgs allowed Seton Hall to score the final eight points, squandering a late lead for another close loss.

Thursday’s game against Northwestern had all the signs of another devastating disappointment. Butler struggled to get the ball past the Wildcats’ press, nearly turning the ball over on several occasions. Finley Bizjack missed two free throws late. Boden Kapke split a pair, helping Northwestern stay within two points. Up by three with less than 10 seconds left, Butler appears to have learned his lesson from not fouling against Providence last year. What would have been an absolutely heartbreaking play was if Telfort nearly fouled Brooks Barnhizer as he banked a heave 3-pointer. The eventual four-point play could have given Northwestern the lead, but the foul was called on the floor, leading to two free throws instead.

In the end, Butler did just enough to earn the victory.

Butler showed some adjustments on the fly, returning the ball to the incoming player, freeing up Bizjack to receive the ball and improve the press late in the game. It is always better to learn a lesson after a defeat. Butler will advance in the tournament, but he will need to tighten up his execution late in the game.

Andre Screen dominates off the bench

Andre Screen had one of the best overall performances of his Butler career in the first half against Northwestern. Screen scored eight of his 15 points in the opener, along with four rebounds and two blocks. He finished with nine rebounds and three blocks.

The Wildcats had no response for Screen. When the ‘Cats sent a double team, Screen did a great job coming off the double, finding open cutters and shooters on the perimeter. Screen did not start the match, but he played the starters’ minutes. He is tied with compatriot Kolby King for a team-best rating of +11 plus/minus. Screen gave the Dawgs valuable minutes, showing he is capable of dominating inside against a Power Four school. He shot an efficient 7 of 10 from the field and did a great job protecting the rim without fouling.

Butler defense slows down Nick Martinelli

Nick Martinelli entered Thursday’s game as the nation’s fourth-leading scorer, averaging 23.8 points per game. Stopping the 6-7 forward was the No. 1 item on Butler’s scouting report and the Dawgs were up to the task. Butler held Martinelli to just seven points on 3-of-15 shooting.

Pierre Brooks II had the primary assignment on Martinelli, using his length and strength to prevent the Wildcats forward from getting a good view of the hoop. When Brooks sat in the second half, Kapke and Landon Moore also had several solid defensive possessions against Martinelli.

As a team, Butler held Northwestern to 36% shooting from the field and 4 of 16 from 3. It was the team’s best defensive performance to date and could be a sign of improvement made to this end of the field.

This article was originally published on the Indianapolis Star: Butler Escapes Northwestern Rally, Earns Key Victory in Arizona Tip-Off