OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Jahmyl Telfort matched his season high with 26 points, DJ Davis added 22 and Butler held off No. 13 Creighton 99-98 in a wild finish Friday night.
The Bulldogs (15-7, 6-5 Big East) won their fourth straight. They shot 62.5% in the second half and went 13 of 22 on 3-pointers for the game.
Baylor Scheierman and Steven Ashworth scored 26 points apiece for the Bluejays (16-6, 7-4)., Trey Alexander had 22 and Ryan Kalkbrenner 20.
Finley Bizjack’s layup gave Butler a 69-68 lead with 12 minutes left, and the Bulldogs never relinquished it. There still was plenty of drama before the highest-scoring Big East game of the season ended.
The Bluejays never trailed by more than five points the rest of the way and, after Kalkbrenner made two free throws to make it 97-96 with 11 seconds left, they had two chances to go ahead.
Creighton got the ball right back when Butler’s inbound pass following Kalkbrenner’s free throws went off DJ Davis’ leg and out of bounds. But Alexnader lost the ball on Creighton’s inbound pass, and Francisco Farabello fouled Davis on the next inbounds pass, hitting him around the eye.
Davis was unable to shoot the free throws, with Boden Kapke taking his place and making both with 6.4 seconds left for a three-point lead.
Alexander was fouled immediately and made two free throws to make it 99-98 with 5.8 seconds left. The ball got loose on the Butler inbound, and Creighton got the ball on the alternating possession after a tie-up.
But only 0.5 seconds remained. Alexander’s pass to the hoop was good, but Kalkbrenner was unable to tip it in.
NO. 21 DAYTON 76, ST. BONAVENTURE 71
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — DaRon Holmes II scored 25 of his 34 points in the second half and Dayton rallied past St. Bonaventure.
Enoch Cheeks added 13 points to help Dayton (18-3, 8-1 Atlantic 10) win its second straight after a loss last weekend at Richmond. Holmes also had seven rebounds and four blocks.
Mika Adams-Woods led St. Bonaventure (13-8, 4-5) with 17 points.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
