NCAA Tournament First Round Recap - UTEP vs Butler

(5) Butler 77, (12) UTEP 59

In a game that had gained some cred as being a potential upset, the Butler Bulldogs played like a team with a chip on its shoulder, eviscerating a talented UTEP squad in the second half of what was once a close game.  Trailing 33-27 at the half, Brad Stevens' squad broke the game open with a 26-6 run to start the second half, grabbing a 53-39 lead and refusing to look back on the way to a first round win. Butler shot an astounding 53.8 % in the second half, paving the way for a thorough thrashing of UTEP.

The Big Picture:  It can't be fun to play Butler.  Much like a Swiss bank or watch, all the Bulldogs do is execute.  After a first half that saw UTEP take a 33-27 lead due in large part to Butler's subpar 37.5 % shooting from the field, the Bulldogs responded with a second half that was equal parts basketball clinic and demolition job.  Brad Stevens' team outscored UTEP by a whopping 50-26 in the decisive second half.  The big difference in the half was Butler's lights-out shooting from three-point range.  Paced by sophomore guard Shelvin Mack's five triples, the Bulldogs drilled 10-of-19 threes after halftime.  In contrast, UTEP made only three triples in the second half.  Outscore a team 30-9 from three-point range and odds are that you will win…  and decisively, as Butler did on Thursday.

The Good:  Shelvin Mack isn't the player that immediately springs to mind when one considers Butler's Big Dance chances, yet he might be the most important cog in the uber-efficient machine that is Butler basketball.  In 33 minutes of action on Thursday, Mack was money, leading Butler with 25 points, 18 of which came in the second half.  When Mack makes his triples, Butler is incredibly difficult to beat.

The Bad:  Only John Edwards' reputation has come so completely undone as that of the UTEP Miners, who crumbled in the second half on Thursday.  With the game on the line, Tony Barbee's squad responded by sinking 37.5 % of its shots, turning the rock over 8 times and being outrebounded, 16-11.  That's not quite what's required to survive and advance in March.

The Ugly:  It may be a recurring theme in these parts, but fact is that just because you are open behind the arc doesn't mean you need to shoot.  Add UTEP to the list of teams that stubbornly and inexplicably chucked away from long range despite the fact that they weren't making shots. The Miners had a clear size and strength advantage on Thursday, yet, they shot 18 threes and made only 4.  UTEP probably should have taken about half that amount of threes.

What's Next?

Butler moves on to face Murray State in the NCAA Tournament second round scrap that only about 1 % of office pool participants saw coming.  The Bulldogs will be favored to advance to the Sweet 16, and with the way they played on Thursday, the Sweet 16 might seem a bit unambitious at this point.