Butler's BIG EAST Tournament ended in the first round as the Bulldogs dropped a 76-72 decision to Xavier Wednesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
 
Butler, the No. 8 seed, put five players in double figures, but could not overcome the combined contributions of Desmond Claude, Dayvion McKnight and Quincy Olivari, who scored 65 of the Musketeers' 76 points.
 
Xavier, the tournament's No. 9 seed, is now 16-16 on the season and advances to play top-seeded Connecticut in Thursday's quarterfinals. Butler falls to 18-14 and will wait to learn their postseason destination on Sunday.
 
HOW IT TRANSPIRED:

• In a game that included 22 lead changes and eight ties, neither team could find a large advantage in the first half.
• An 8-0 Xavier run pushed its lead to 22-15 with 9:30 remaining in the half. The seven-point lead was the largest of the half and matched the largest of the game.
• Butler immediately countered with 11 straight to re-take the lead at 26-22.
• Xavier held a slim 32-31 halftime advantage.
• Butler's last lead of the game came with 13:35 remaining and the Bulldogs ahead 50-49.
• The last tie of the contest came at 54-54 with 11:36 to play.
• A Posh Alexander bucket with 2:24 to play pulled Butler within a single point at 69-68, but Xavier would score the next six points to find a seven-point lead with 53 seconds remaining.

 
OF NOTE:

• Claude led all scorers with 26 points.
• McKnight scored 20, while Olivari added 19 points and nine rebounds.
• Xavier went 0-for-8 from three-point range in the first half, but made six of their first seven attempts from behind the arc after halftime with the sixth one giving them a 54-50 advantage.
• Butler put five players in double figures for the eighth time this season.
• Pierre Brooks II led the Bulldogs with 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting. It marked his seventh 20-point game of the season.
• Butler matched a season-high with 18 turnovers, while forcing Xavier into 14.
• Jalen Thomas and Posh Alexander each scored 14 for Butler. Thomas went 6-for-8 from the field, matching a career-high with two three-pointers, adding a team-high seven rebounds.
• Alexander left the game late in the first half with a right knee injury. After being evaluated by Butler's medical staff and warming up, he was able to play all 20 minutes of the second half.
• Xavier shot 46 percent from the field, just ahead of Butler's 45-percent mark.