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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Butler
BGSU Ends Season With 81-69 NIT Loss To Butler
March 14, 2002 | Men's Basketball
March 14, 2002
By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Butler got 28 points from Rylan Hainje and 18 from Thomas Jackson, and rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to defeat Bowling Green 81-69 Thursday night in the first round of the NIT.
It marked only the second time Butler (26-5) played host to an NIT game, and the Bulldogs took full advantage of a loud home crowd that urged it on to the round of 16. Butler will visit Syracuse on Monday night.
Bowling Green (24-9) got a career-high 31 points from Len Matela and 23 from Keith McLeod in their final college games.
The Falcons came out firing - and hitting - against the nation's third-ranked scoring defense. Bowling Green connected on 13 of its first 17 shots, with Matela and McLeod combining for all but four of the points as the Falcons took 33-19 lead.
Then the Bulldogs settled down and played their game. As the defense improved, the 3-point barrage started. Butler used a 6-0 spurt to make it 33-25 and closed the half on 10-0 run, tying the score at 38 when Mike Monserez hit a 3 with 2.8 seconds to go.
The Falcons regained the lead on a dunk by Matela and a 3-pointer by Brandon Pardon to open the second half. But the Bulldogs responded with three straight layups to make it 46-43 with 15:58 to go.
McLeod's 3-pointer with 13:34 remaining was his first basket in nearly 15 minutes and got the Falcons within 50-48.
But Bowling Green found itself in foul trouble, and the Bulldogs took advantage by building a 56-50 lead.
Butler pulled away with an 8-0 run to seal the victory and extend its single-season record for wins.
