Big East Basketball: Butler explodes on offense in second half to knock off Marquette

Butler trailed by 16 at the half, but used an offensive explosion to rally and pick up a Big East basketball victory over Marquette.

The Marquette Golden Eagles desperately needed a marquee Big East win to increase their chances of making the NCAA Tournament.

They were 20 minutes away from doing just that at Hinkle Fieldhouse, but the Butler Bulldogs exploded on offense in the second half, scoring 63 points on their way to an 88-80 win on Monday afternoon.

The Bulldogs rode a balanced attack to victory, as four of their five starters scored in double figures. Kelan Martin broke out of his slump, scoring a team high 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while Kamar Baldwin chipped in 18 points. Tyler Lewis and Andrew Chrabascz dropped 10 apiece, and Kethan Savage had another solid Big East performance as he recorded 17 off the pine.

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The Bulldogs shot 53 percent from the floor and 39 percent from downtown, but it wasn’t all good for the home team.

In the first half, Butler was the victim of a dominant performance from Marquette’s Markus Howard (25 total points, including 16 in the first half) and the Golden Eagles’ offense in general. Marquette drilled 7-of-15 threes, limited Chrabascz and took a 16-point lead into half.

But things completely flipped in the second half. The Bulldogs started challenging every three-point attempt that the Golden Eagles launched, scored in transition and grabbed offensive rebounds to give themselves second chance opportunities.

The result: Chris Holtmann’s team charged back, using a formula that has helped them overcome four halftime deficits in the last five games. That formula? Solid defense, that limits the opponents’ top weapon, and efficient offense that revolves around getting to the rim and making free throws.

Baldwin was finished around the bucket with ease. Martin drilled shots from the mid-range and made tough moves to get into the lane. Chrabascz started to get involved. And Lewis and Savage provided a punch.

But it wasn’t just the scoring that led Butler to their comeback victory. It was also their ability to take care of the ball.