Senior Kamar Baldwin scored a career-high 36 points, capped by a game-winning three-pointer, as Butler took a 72-71 win on the road at Xavier Saturday night.
 
After Xavier's Naji Marshall gave the home team a 71-69 lead with a three-point play with 8.9 seconds remaining, Baldwin calmly dribbled the ball up, navigated a Bryce Nze screen, and pulled up for three from the right wing. The ball went through with 1.2 seconds remaining and Butler stole the ensuing in-bounds play to secure the win.
 
"Heck of a win. Heck of a game," said Butler coach LaVall Jordan. "I can't imagine what New York will be like with all the teams playing this well right now. We knew there would be a lot of energy in the building with their Senior Night. And we knew it would be a fight. I told them to keep battling. It came down to us having the ball last and No. 3 hit a shot like he's done before."
 
Baldwin's 36 points came on 13-of-25 shooting. He matched his career-high with five three-pointers (one seven attempts). He scored 25 points in the second half alone, passing both Matt Howard and Kellen Dunham on Butler's career scoring list. Baldwin now has 1,956 career points and stands in fourth place in Butler history.
 
The 36 points are the most by a Bulldog since Jan. 12, 2018 when Kelan Martin scored 37 in a win over Marquette.
 
Butler would take a 49-40 lead with 12:03 remaining, but that breathing room was short-lived as Xavier used a rare five-point possession to re-take the lead, 56-55, with 7:30 to play.
Xavier's lead grew to four (66-62) with just under three minutes remaining. Baldwin scored eight of Butler's final 10 points, and assisted on the other bucket.
 
Aaron Thompson was the only other Bulldog in double-figures with 12 points. He added a career-high five steals that pushed him over 100 for his career. Butler was able to win the battle on the glass between two of the BIG EAST's top three rebounding teams (38-34).
 
Marshall led Xavier with 21 points, including 15 in the second half. Jason Carter added 17, while Tyrique Jones had 14 points and 13 rebounds on his Senior Night in Cincinnati.
 
Butler shot 49 percent from the field, including an efficient 8-of-14 from three-point range.
 
The game featured four ties and 18 lead changes, with the final change giving Butler a sweep in the regular season series.
 
The game marked the end of the regular season for the Bulldogs, who are now 22-9 and 10-8 in conference play heading into next week's BIG EAST Tournament. Xavier is 19-12 (8-10).
 
The Bulldogs begin the postseason Thursday in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament. Butler was locked in as the No. 5 seed prior to Saturday's game. The Bulldogs will play the fourth-seeded Providence Friars Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.