Download link – postgame press conference with coach LaVall Jordan and Myles Tate: bit.ly/35lfZBt
 
A second-half run came up just short as Butler fell to Seton Hall, 68-60, Saturday afternoon in Newark, N.J. Freshman guard Myles Tate had a career-best 22 points for Butler, who played without several of its rotation guys once again.
 
Sandro Mamukelashvili led Seton Hall with 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
 
With the win, the Pirates improve to 8-4 overall and 5-1 in BIG EAST play. Butler falls to 2-5 (1-3 BIG EAST).
 
"I knew we would learn a lot about ourselves tonight because Seton Hall is a really good, really experienced team," said Butler head coach LaVall Jordan. "We had some moments and I thought we played with a lot of grit throughout. That was a good response after our last game. We're not into moral victories, but we need to stay the course and continue to get better."
 
After Seton Hall took its largest lead of the game at 13 points, the Bulldogs pulled back into the contest with an 11-0 run, highlighted by consecutive three-pointers from freshmen Tate, Chuck Harris and Myles Wilmoth. That would trim the Seton Hall deficit to 47-46. Seton Hall responded with five straight points. Over the final six minutes, Butler would cut the lead to one on several occasions, but never got over the hump as Seton Hall capped the game at the free throw line.
 
The Pirates went 17-of-20 at the line, while Butler had only nine attempts.
 
Butler's 11-of-22 performance from three-point range kept the Bulldogs in the game. Tate had a career-high five makes from behind the arc. He added five assists against only one turnover.
 
Harris (11), Jair Bolden (10) and Bryce Golden (nine) helped Tate in the scoring column.
 
The Bulldogs limited Seton Hall to 39-percent shooting in the second half as Butler pulled back in the game. Seton Hall shot 46 percent overall.
 
The Bulldogs played without starting point guard Aaron Thompson, who missed his fifth consecutive game with a sprained knee. Freshman JaKobe Coles also missed Saturday's game after injuring his knee in practice Friday.
 
Nine early points (all on three-pointers) from Tate gave the Bulldogs an 18-11 a little more than eight minutes into the contest. That would be Butler's largest lead of the half. Seton Hall closed the half on an extended 21-5 run to take a 34-25 lead into the intermission. Mamukelashvili and Jared Rhoden combined for 23 of the Pirates' 34 first-half points. Rhoden finished with 19 points.
 
The Bulldogs return to Hinkle Fieldhouse for a pair of games this week, hosting Georgetown Wednesday and Connecticut Saturday.