Box Score

Butler, ranked No. 15 nationally, ended the regular season in style, posting a come-from-behind 2-1 win over rival Xavier Wednesday night at the Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis. Eric Leonard's game-winner came in the 78^th minute as the Bulldogs capped the BIG EAST slate with an 8-1 mark.

In a driving rain for much of the contest, Butler weathered 13 shots and seven corner kicks from the visiting Musketeers. Both of Butler's shots on goal found the net.

Isaac Galliford scored the equalizer in the 29^th minute as Lewis Suddick's short cross was flicked through to Galliford by Brandon Guhl. For Galliford, it was his third goal of the season and answered a tally by Xavier's Simen Hestnes from the 17^th minute.

For much of the next 45 minutes, the teams went back and forth in the middle third of the field. Leonard's first goal of the season was a header off a corner kick from Galliford.

The Bulldogs held off one final Xavier opportunity as Butler committed a foul 20 yards from the goal with nine seconds on the clock. The referee stopped the clock to mark off the 10 yards. Jacob Goddall's blast was turned away by the Butler wall and never made it on goal, sealing the Butler win.

Butler keeper Eric Dick made five saves in the contest. In nine BIG EAST matches this season, Dick allowed only seven goals in posting shutouts in five of the nine matches.

Butler is now 12-4-1 overall. Xavier falls to 10-5-2 and finishes the BIG EAST schedule at 5-4.

The Bulldogs clinched the BIG EAST regular season championship and top seed in the upcoming BIG EAST Tournament in their previous match over the weekend.

Butler receives a bye into the semifinals of the six-team BIG EAST Tournament. Xavier is the No. 4 seed and will host fifth-seeded Providence Saturday in Cincinnati. The winner of that match comes to Indianapolis for a match-up with the top-ranked Bulldogs on Nov. 8. If Butler wins its semifinal, the Bulldogs will also host the BIG EAST Tournament championship game.