FINAL: The recap will be done soon by Chris Robbins. Thank you so much for joining us tonight. Steve Vasturia is the player of the game, having a fantastic scoring performance of 20 points. Irish win! Goodnight.
FINAL: 67-64 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in one of the hardest fought games of the year. Heartbreak for Butler, exuberance from ND!
OT, 6 Secs Left: It is OVER! Auguste BLOCKS Dunham, and the NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH have SURVIVED!
OT, 18 Secs Left: JERIAN GRANT like a BEAST, in the LANE, off the GLASS, and NOTRE DAME SMELLS THE SWEET SIXTEEN!!!
OT, 54 Secs Left: Martin now to shoot from the line for Butler. Splits, Butler still only down 3.
OT, 1:21: VASTURIA, in the CLUTCH!!! From the corner three, GOOD! 4 Point ND LEAD!
OT, 1:57: 1 point game.
OT, 2:00: Grant, BARELY misses from three! Dunham now going to the line for the 1 and 1.
OT, 2:41: Jones can't get the jumper, ND will try to go up further.
OT, 3:05: After the Connaughton three, Butler takes a timeout. They need a response to that.
OT, 3:05: PATTY ICE! DRILLS IT IN THE CORNER, 3 POINT IRISH LEAD!
OT, 3:32: Chrabascz is fouled by Jerian Grant, Chrabascz will go to the line, and he ties back up the game. He is 8-8 at the line tonight.
OT, 3:53: As Barlow fouls out, Grant makes 2/3.
OT, 3:53: Jerian Grant fouled while shooting the trey, will shoot three! Barlow fell for that one.
OT, 4:28: JONES resPONDS! Off the glass, tied again.
OT, 4:54: Already, ND gets the ball, Chrabascz fouls Vasturia. Drills both, the deadlock is broke.
2nd Half Ends: As for that block by Connaughton on Dunham: Dunham has one of the quickest releases in all of college basketball. It's crazy to see him blocked there.
2nd Half Ends: TO OVERTIME WE GO, as Roosevelt Jones can't get the tip-in to go! What an amazing 2nd half, what a game! Stay tuned folks!
2nd Half, .5 Sec Left: : OH my GOODNESS!!!!! Pat Connaughton BLOCKS Dunham's three point attempt, came out of NOWHERE! Still a fraction of a second left, looking at the moniter.
2nd Half, 2 Secs Left: Now Chris Holtmann has to call timeout! Jones, trying to get it out, couldn't find anyone to make the entry pass to.
2nd Half, 2 Secs Left: Mike Brey uses another timeout here. He is desperately wanting to avoid a shocking buzzer-beater by the Bulldogs.
2nd Half, 2 Secs Left: Butler doesn't get a good shot, but ZACH AUGUSTE TURNS IT OVER! Double-dribble when he got the rebound! Butler will have a chance to avoid OT! Timeout Mike Brey.
2nd Half, 20 Secs: Missed it down low, then rebound, Dunham is FOULED. No shots, as Butler isn't in the bonus yet. Shot clock is off, Butler can hold for the final shot. Timeout on floor.
2nd Half, 44 Secs: Butler basketball!
2nd Half, 44 Secs: Taking a look at the monitor, looks like Butler ball after Vastoria turned it over. Barlow has played very well against Vastoria in this half.
2nd Half, 1:06: Dunham, MISSES jumper, to the Irish.
2nd Half, 1:30: Auguste turns it over! To Chrabascz. Pass to Jones, he is tied up, but due to the possession arrow, it's still Butler ball. Will that turnover cost the Irish? Timeout.
2nd Half: 1:45: Woods with the rebound, his 13th. Butler slows it down, doesn't get a good shot. Hearts are racing folks! Mike Brey gets the timeout, and he will draw up a play.
2nd Half, 3:10: Vastoria with the little floater, she is a beaut. But KELLEN DUNHAM fires a ROCKET from HALFCOURT, TIE GAME again!
2nd Half: 3:40: KAMERON WOODS, with the MASSIVE DUNK! ONE POINT ND LEAD.
2nd Half, 3:50: Chris Holtmann calls timeout, and we are in the final 4 minutes. Wild 2nd half. Who will end up on top?
2nd Half, 4:40: Jones can't get that one to go, Notre Dame looks to extend their advantage. After Connaughton misses three, Auguste gets board, and gets the layin! 3 point ND lead.
2nd Half, 5:13: Back and forth we go, Auguste to the bucket. 51-50 Notre Dame.
2nd Half, 5:38: MR. CHRABASCZ ANSWERS from DEEP! Butler TAKES the lead back, by 1.
2nd Half, 6:00: PATTY ICE! Flips it under, and NOTRE DAME takes the lead back! Timeout Bulldogs.
2nd Half, 6:39: Barlow FOULS Jackson, and that's his 4th! ND ball.
2nd Half, 6:58: Jones can't get that one, Irish back on the skates, Vasturia fouled. All starts out there for both squads. TIE game.
2nd Half, 7:24: Jackson, step back TREY, ND needed that. Butler slowing it down now.
2nd Half, 7:58: Notre Dame resolving to a little bit of zone defense, ball goes off of Butler out of bounds, Irish ball.
2nd Half, 8:30: He only gets one, 5 point Bulldog advantage.
2nd Half, 8:54: Notre Dame 0-6 in the past 5 minutes , but Jackson gets the foul and will go and shoot 2.
2nd Half, 9:34: Absolutely no answer from the Irish for Roosevelt Jones. Don't forget that he sprained his knee in the last game. You wouldn't have guessed it. Just an all-star display.
2nd Half, 9:34: ROOSEVELT JONES, the little FLOATER. SWISH. The RAINBOW. TIMEOUT NOTRE DAME!!!!!
2nd Half, 9:55: Now Chrabascz, who has come alive this half, goes to the line once again. You just know he gets both. A brilliant stroke.
2nd Half, 10:21: Connaughton drives into lane, LOOSES the handle, Butler ball. Bulldogs can't get anything down low, goes back to the Irish. Grant misses it off the glass, back and forth we go.
2nd Half, 11:00: MISSED the foul shot, 2 point Butler Lead.
2nd Half, 12:07: What a great run by Butler, President Roosevelt is leading them right back, now in the lead. He is showing the country who he is tonight, 19 points, maybe about to be 20.
2nd Half, 12:07: After another poor ND possession, Dunham goes and misses deep three. ND ball again, Jackson BLOCKED! Butler down the floor, Jones into the paint, gets ANOTHER AND ONE, and it's a BUTLER LEAD!!!!!!
2nd Half, 13:10: Bulldogs on the run, but can't get anything out of it. Vastoria with the soaring rebound, Jones fouls. No shots. Butler, stifling defense on the other side, then CHRABASCZ TIES IT UP WITH THE TREY!!!!
2nd Half, 13:32: THERE is Mr. Jones, Roosevelt with the and-one again! He has been brilliant this game, with shades of Jahlil Okafor. Misses the FT, though.
2nd Half, 14:00: Foul on Butler, no shots. 3rd foul on Chrabascz. Demetrius Jackson finds a hole, GETS A MONSTER SLAM HOME!!! 41-36 ND!
2nd Half, 14:42: Jerian Grant, like a beast, nails jumper. Other side, Chrabascz heads to the line again. Makes both, back and forth we go, but ND is still holding on to that lead.
2nd Half, 15:00: Timeout on floor. Irish best defender Vastoria has held Jones in check during this half, but now Kellen Dunham is wanting to hit his stride. 3 point Fighting Irish advantage.
2nd Half, 15:42: No field goes yet in this half for Butler until THEN! KELLEN DUNHAM FINALLY, for THREE!
2nd Half, 16:33: Butler misses layup, and Jackson misses layup on other end, but Connaughton FINALLY BREAKS THROUGH with DUNK! 6 points Irish lead.
2nd Half, 16:49: Series of failed possessions, misses from three by both teams. Now Butler possession. Goes out of bounds off of Jackson. Frenetic pace.
2nd Half, 18:00: HORRIBLE airball for Connaughton, but Chrabascz turns it over. Demetrius Jackson attacks, SCORES! 35-31.
2nd Half, 18:33: Vastoria is now guarding Jones, as Chrabascz goes to the line. Drills both, great form.
2nd Half, 19:00: Notre Dame starts with the ball, has to heave up a last second shot, gets offensive rebound. Jerian Grant, off the glass, in it goes, 33-29 ND.
Halftime: We are almost back.
Halftime: Butler is in a bit of a quandary, and in this half, they desperately need to get Kellen Dunham freed up from Steve Vastoria. Dunham is 0-4 in the game, a complete non-factor. However, on the other side, Pat Connaughton was a bit lost on offense in the first half, and will have to awaken, or Jones and Chrabascz will eat him up in the 2nd half. Connaughton did play exceptionally well on defense, now with 3 blocks at the break.
Halftime: We have a dandy on our hands, ladies and gents. Points are hard to come by, but Steve Vastoria for Notre Dame and Roosevelt Jones for Butler have the highest tallies with 11 and 15 points respectively. Butler has a 40.7% FGP, compared to Notre Dame's 40.9% FGP. Butler's Kellen Dunham has been completely held in check by Steve Vastoria, who is the South Bend Star so far. Roosevelt Jones, however, cannot be stopped, as his touch with the basketball is unmatched. He is also perfect from the charity stripe. Jerian Grant is playing his usual role as the catalyst, but has had a few airballs, scoring 8 by halftime. Andrew Chrabascz shook off a horrible shooting start to score 6 in the waning minutes of the 1st session, as he is the 2nd leading scorer for Butler.
1st Half Ends: Butler gets the foul with 3 seconds left, Roosevelt Jones goes right back to the FT stripe. Makes both, and at the half, it is 31-29 Notre Dame, a low scoring affair that Notre Dame has led for near the entire game.
1st Half, 40 Secs: Auguste gets the first, misses 2nd. Can Butler take the lead? No, as Dunham misses the three. Vastoria DRILLS the three on the other side, and it's back to a 4 point Notre Dame lead. Steve Vastoria is having a FANTASTIC game. Timeout.
1st Half, 1:00: Auguste misses dunk, but is fouled, to the line he goes.
1st Half, 1:28: Rattles around, but Roosevelt Jones gets it to GO! The PREZ! TIE BALL GAME. Timeout.
1st Half, 1:49: WOW, airball by Jerian Grant, Butler ball, looking to tie or take the lead!
1st Half, 2:42: Grant barely misses from three, soaring rebound by Woods. FINALLY Chrabascz gets something to go, 27-23. Then a Notre Dame turnover, Jones is FOULED down low, to the line, Butler looking to cut quick.
1st Half, 3:02: Dunham is fouled by Connaughton, who slammed into him. No shots, and Roosevelt Jones WALKS, back to the Fighting Irish.
1st Half, 3:55: Grant gets the split at the line. 27-21. Chrabascz misses ANOTHER shot for Butler, but Zach Auguste walks on the other end.
1st Half, 3:55: Jerian Grant can't get the bucket to go, but he is fouled. Timeout, Jerian Grant will be at the line when we return.
1st Half, 4:21: Jones gets the and-one, Jones with the great matchup against Jackson. Makes the foul shot. 26-21, Jones playing well for Butler, still down 5.
1st Half, 4:56: Notre Dame wanted a goaltend, likely was. Butler ball after it went out of bounds. Jackson BLOCKS a shot on the other end, Vastoria with the ball, is fouled, to the line.
1st Half, 5:32: Chrabascz can't get by Connaughton, goes out of bounds off of ND. Jones scoops it UP and IN. 24-18 Notre Dame.
1st Half, 6:16: Fantastic pass from Grant to Vastoria, easy-peasy layup. Butler has to tighten up down low.
1st Half, 6:53: Alex Barlow, gets the steal, goes coast to coast, acrobatic LAY IN. 22-16 Notre Dame.
1st Half, 7:19: Martin makes both. 22-14.
1st Half, 7:19: Early offensive struggles for Butler are the story so far. Dunham and Barlow haven't scored yet.
1st Half, 7:19: Butler's Kelan Martin is fouled, will head to the charity stripe. Butler is looking to end a long drought.
1st Half, 8:06: Very quick Butler possessions, are running into great defense by Connaughton and Auguste. Beachem AGAIN, he has been great off of the bench, 22-12 Notre Dame!
1st Half, 8:22: Butler Bulldogs are not playing well on offense, Dunham misses jumper. Notre Dame again on the run, Grant is fouled by Jones, to the line, makes both. Butler needs to stop the bleeding.
1st Half, 9:00: Connaughton poor from deep so far in this game, misses another, needs to drive inside. Butler then turns it over, and VJ BEACHEM gets a transition bucket!
1st Half, 10:00: Makes two, Butler then another poor offensive possession. Bonzie Colson misses three, back to Butler. Chrabascz BLOCKED. Jerian Grant pass to Colson, but Colson is ALSO BLOCKED by Kameron Woods.
1st Half, 11:00: Back again, Butler out of control, turns it over. Demetrius Jackson pushes into the paint, fouled, to shoot.
1st Half, 11:33: We are back, ND ball. VJ Beachem called for the CHARGE, and it's Butler ball. Not good for young Beachem, who had just came in. Timeout.
1st Half, 11:50: Woods with the deep 2, Auguste misses dunk, stays with ND. FIRST timeout of the game, and Notre Dame leads 14-12.
1st Half, 12:30: Roosevelt Jones with the layup, but he seems in a little bit of pain. No timeouts in this game so far. Grant then with the jumpshot off of one leg, 14-10 ND.
1st Half, 13:10: Notre Dame on the run, Vastoria in the lane for the layup, 4 point ND lead.
1st Half, 13:50: Barlow, BLOCKED by Pat Connaughton. Vastoria misses trey by a bit, now Butler possession.
1st Half, 14:30: Jerian Grant, step back THREE. Beautiful shot. ND Leads by 2.
1st Half, 15:30: Connaughton misses three, then Chrabascz misses jumper on other end. Vastoria gets in the corner for Notre Dame and DRILLS the jumper. Then coast to coast, Chrabascz gets the layup.
1st Half, 16:12: TRAVEL on Kameron Woods, ND ball. Auguste playing good defense so far.
1st Half, 16:14: Grant misses jumper, then Dunham is fouled by Connaughton. No shots.
1st Half, 17:20: Demetrius Jackson, for the trey! Made Butler pay. Jones gets the layup on the other end, Butler leads 6-5
1st Half, 17:30: Cold stretch for both, but Butler looking good on the boards.
1st Half, 18:40: Blocking foul on Chrabascz, Auguste to the line, makes both.
1st Half, 19:05: Turnover by ND, Roosevelt Jones on the other end, DUNK! He looks great early!
1st Half, 19:40: Chrabascz opens it off with the floater, 2-0 Butler.
1st Half, 15:00: AND WE'RE OFF. The Bulldogs win the tip.
Tip-off in 1 minute.
Teams are warming up, we are almost ready for tip-off.
Villanova vs NC State has just concluded with the Wolfpack the upset winner. With one Big East team falling to an ACC opponent, will it happen again in this game? We shall see in a few minutes.
This really is a game for bragging rights, as the winner will be the only team in the Sweet Sixteen from the state of Indiana. The winner will play the winner of Wichita State - Kansas in the Sweet Sixteen, in what will surely be a fantastic game. Butler - Notre Dame will start in about 50 minutes, pending when NC State - Villanova concludes. We'll have all of the action on this LIVE.
Butler has been looking for some more magic after the 2 championship games they went to a few years ago, and with Kellen Dunham in charge instead of Gordon Hayward, the potential is there. Chris Holtmann has become a fantastic head coach after Brad Davis left the program to coach the Boston Celtics. As for Notre Dame, they are still slowly but surely making the school a basketball haven. Mike Brey has been at the helm for a decade and a half, and is still looking for an NCAA title. With the talent they have this year, the potential is there, but they will need to have a better performance than they had against Northeastern.
Kellen Dunham, the baby-faced assassin, was one of the best shooters in the Big East this year. The energetic junior will likely have to go against Jerian Grant, giving him a massive test, but he is a sound defensive player, and should be able to perform admirably. Roosevelt Jones is the power forward for Butler, and is battling a sprained knee he suffered against Texas. He has been a mainstay with the Bulldogs for a while, and is a team-favorite. Also in the paint is center Kameron Woods, who can easily grab a double-double on any given night. Andrew Chrabascz was injured in the latter part of the season for Butler, and the Bulldogs struggled without their 3rd leading scorer. He has been back, and things are really clicking now for Indianapolis natives. Alex Barlow is a consistent backcourt contributor, and does not want his senior season to end. Finally, an X factor could be up and coming freshman Kelan Martin, who scored 7 points in 15 minutes against Texas.
Jerian Grant, ND's brightest luminary, is one of the quickest players in the nation, and one of the wisest as well in his senior year. He averages 16 points a game to lead the team, and has combined with Demetrius Jackson to form one of the most dangerous backcourts in the nation. However, Notre Dame isn't a one-trick pony, as their frontcourt is continually improving. Pat Connaughton, maybe an even better baseball player than basketball player, is a powerful frontcourt leader, and has been a critical cog of the emergence of Notre Dame this year as a basketball power. Zach Auguste has come out of the woodworks as a brute force alongside Connaughton, as the two trees are giving opposing teams a lot to fear. Steve Vasturia has been a great shooter from the outside, getting the Irish out of some holes.
Here we have a great defensive team (Butler) going against a high flying offense (Notre Dame). Mike Brey and the Irish from South Bend will want to get on the run, knowing full well that Chris Holtmann's team does not like the pace to be high. Butler is coming off of a big victory over the Texas Longhorns, and although they were the higher seed, many predicted Texas would pull off the upset. However, the Bulldogs showed that Big East basketball is still tough, and pulled it out in the waning minutes. Notre Dame was surprisingly tested against the Huskies of Northeastern University on Thursday, squeaking it out by 4. The Huskies had a fantastic gameplan, but didn't have enough down low to stop ND's charge in the paint. And, here we are, in the round of 32, pitting the Bulldogs against the Fighting Irish in what should be a close affair.
Hello, everyone, and welcome to VAVEL USA's live continuing coverage of the NCAA Tournament. I'm Ben Anderson, and I will lead you through the matchup of #3 seed Notre Dame and #6 seed Butler from the Midwest Region of the Big Dance.