Behind a Battle 4 Atlantis single-game record 16 three-pointers, Butler defeated Middle Tennessee, 84-53, Thanksgiving night in a consolation match-up at the Paradise Island, Bahamas event..

Butler is now 4-1 on the season. The Bulldogs advance to Friday's fifth-place game to face Florida. The 9:30 p.m. tip will air on ESPNU.

Sean McDermott set a career-high with 21 points on seven three-pointers. He had 18 Wednesday night in the loss to Dayton, which was his previous career-high. His seven three-pointers tied the Battle 4 Atlantis single-game record, which was set by Wisconsin's D'Mitrik Trice earlier in the day Thursday. Trice's father, Travis, played at Butler (1993-95).

Butler hit 16 three-pointers, which also set a Battle 4 Atlantis single-game record (previously held by UMass in a 2011 game against Utah). The 16 three-pointers were the most by Butler since the Bulldogs hit 15 in a Dec. 30, 2017 home win over No. 1 Villanova (101-93).

"For us today it was all about response, and knowing that we didn't play Butler basketball for 40 minutes last night (in the loss to Dayton)," said Butler coach LaVall Jordan. "Middle Tennessee, we knew that they were going to come out hungry after a loss, similar to us, but it was more just about playing our way, consistently throughout each possession of the game, and I thought we did that. I thought we set a good tone early. Still some mistakes to clean up, but that was more like it in terms of what we're looking to become."

Butler shot 52 percent for the game, aided by 22 assists on the team's 31 made field goals. A 17-2 run gave Butler a 19-7 lead less than eight minutes into the game, and the Bulldogs never looked back.

Kamar Baldwin had 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting. After playing 39 minutes in the loss to Dayton Wednesday, Baldwin was only called upon for 23 minutes Thursday night with the game out of reach. Baldwin enters Friday's game with Florida just eight points shy of becoming the 40^th Bulldog to register 1,000 career points.

Paul Jorgensen scored 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. Henry Baddley was the fourth Bulldog in double figures with 10 points, a season-high.

Butler forced Middle Tennessee into 20 turnovers, converting those into 28 points. Eight of the 10 Bulldogs who dressed for the contest registered at least one steal. Butler had 12 steals total. The Blue Raiders made only 32 percent of their shots with just four successful 3-pointers.

Aaron Thompson tied a career-high with eight assists.

The 31-point win was the largest for the Bulldogs since a 107-46 win over Western Illinois, Dec. 21, 2017.

Butler and Florida are also scheduled to play Dec. 29 in Gainesville, Fla., in the first match-up of a home-and-home series that will have the Gators return the game at Hinkle Fieldhouse during the 2019-20 season.