Boise State took a 77-68 win over Butler Saturday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse, beating the Bulldogs at what they had been doing well all season long by getting to the free throw line and controlling the boards.
 
The visiting Broncos were 21-for-26 from the charity stripe and held a 45-31 rebounding advantage in the contest.
 
With the result, Boise State improves to 6-3 on the season while Butler falls to 7-2.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Using the momentum of a 12-1 run, Boise State took a 20-13 lead with 9:14 remaining. At that point in the contest, the Broncos had made four of six from behind the arc.
• Boise State led 33-31 at the half. Butler was only 1-for-11 from three-point range over the first 20 minutes, leading to the Bulldogs' second halftime deficit of the season.
• Jamie Kaiser Jr. scored the first five points of the second half to give Butler its first lead since 12-11 at the 12:32 mark of the first half. That lead would grow to seven at 42-35 less than three minutes into the second half. 
• Boise State countered with a 15-2 run to take a 54-48 advantage with 12:23 remaining.
• The Bulldogs would trim the lead to one a few minutes later but never were able to regain the lead.

 
TIP-INS:

• Dylan Andrews led four Broncos in double-figures with 20 points. He went only 4-for-19 from the field but made 11 of his 13 free throw attempts.
• Sixteen of Boise State's 45 rebounds came on the offensive end.
• Michael Ajayi led Butler with 16 points and eight rebounds.
• Drayton Jones had a season-high 12 points for the Bulldogs; he added four blocks.
• Butler made only four of 18 attempts from behind the arc Saturday after entering the game ranked tenth nationally by making 41.1 percent of their three-point shots.
• Saturday was the first game this season that Butler had been out-rebounded. Butler entered the contest ranked fifth nationally in rebounding margin (+13.0).
• Saturday's game began a home-and-home series between Butler and the Broncos; the teams will meet in Boise next season.
• Butler and Boise State had met twice previously, splitting neutral-court match-ups over the past two seasons.

 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs open BIG EAST play Saturday, Dec. 13 when Providence visits Hinkle. The tip concludes a four-game homestand for the Bulldogs. Tickets are still available for the contest, which will also air on both TNT and truTV.