Butler University Athletics

Second-half offensive struggles by Butler allowed visiting Pittsburgh to erase a halftime deficit and come away with a 76-64 win Friday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
 
The Bulldogs held a 42-34 advantage at halftime but shot only 16 percent from the field after the break.
 
With the result, Pitt improves to 4-0 while the Bulldogs level their record at 2-2 on the young season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A 9-0 run by the Bulldogs gave the home team a 42-30 advantage with 1:31 remaining in the first half, which would be Butler's largest lead of the game.
• Pitt scored the final four points of the opening frame to head into the locker rooms trailing 42-34.
• Butler was able to keep the Panthers at arm's length, leading 51-43 with 12:58 remaining before a prolonged 18-3 Pitt run gave the visitors their first lead of the game and ultimately a 61-54 lead at the 7:25 mark.
• Butler would get no closer than five over the remainder of the game.

 
TIP-INS:

• Jonathan Powell led five Panthers in double figures with 17 points.
• Eduardo Klafke's 16 points paced the Bulldogs; the 6-5 guard added a game-high eight rebounds. Klafke has led the team in scoring twice through four games and has scored in double figures each time.
• Asim Djulovic scored 11 points, his third time in double figures in the team's four games.
• Butler shot 5-for-31 from the field in the second half, including only 3-for-20 from three-point range. The Bulldogs shot 33 percent for the game, but connected on only seven of 34 three-point attempts.
• Butler University announced the next chapter in the live mascot program and Butler Blue V was introduced at Hinkle Fieldhouse during halftime of Friday's game.
• Jordan Cornette called the game Friday for Peacock; Jordan's older brother, Joel, tragically passed away in 2016 at the age of 35 after a Hall of Fame career at Butler that saw the 2003 graduate lead the Bulldogs to three NCAA Tournament appearances and score more than 1,000 career points in his four seasons.
• Butler is now 90-7 in their last 97 home games against non-conference teams. 
• Friday marked the 15^th meeting between Butler and Pitt. The first 12 games were played at Hinkle from 1928 through 1946. Butler leads the all-time series, 8-7.
• Butler defeated No. 1 seed Pittsburgh, 71-70, in the second round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Shelvin Mack had 30 points in that win as the Bulldogs went on to advance to the NCAA national championship game for the second consecutive season. Butler head coach Ronald Nored and VP/Director of Athletics Grant Leiendecker were also on that team.
• The teams will play next season in Pittsburgh to finish off the home-and-home series.

 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs continue their three-game, week-long homestand, hosting a Tuesday tip against Western Carolina.