After travel issues, miscommunication on 3, Butler must learn from late-game failure

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A faulty airplane, multiple private planes, a sore right ankle, a decision not to foul up three with 9 seconds left and a last-second 3-pointer all contributed to Butler’s 85-75 loss on the road to Providence.

Well, sort of.

A malfunctioning plane Friday night delayed Butler’s trip to Providence until Saturday morning. The Bulldogs needed to travel by private planes to reach their destination, arriving in Rhode Island around 9 a.m., just three hours before opening tip at the Amica Mutual Pavillion.

Jet lag got the best of Butler early, as the Bulldogs missed their first 13 shots and Providence jumped out to a 15-0 lead. Senior guard D.J. Davis, a player who limped off the court with an injured right ankle during Butler’s last game against Georgetown, proved to be a quick healer.

He scored 15 of his 22 points after the first half, keeping Butler in the game. Davis’ heroics were spoiled when Providence guard Devonte Gaines sank a 3-pointer with two seconds left in regulation, sending the game to overtime. The Dawgs needed every ounce of energy to reach the end of the game, and the visitors did not have another five minutes left in them.

“I was hoping D.J.’s shot went in from halfcourt,” Butler coach Thad Matta said of the potential winner at the regulation buzzer. “These guys are tough. I don’t know if we ran out of gas. These guys will fight, and I’ll go to war with them any day I can.”

Gaines’ shot went in because Butler chose not to foul and send the Friars to the line. A foul would’ve sent Providence to the line with about seven seconds left in the game. Anything can happen, make or miss, but other than fouling the 3-point shooter, Providence making the last-second shot was the worst-case scenario for Butler. Matta said the plan was to foul, but his message was not relayed to his players.

“I think (it was) a little miscommunication,” Matta said. “I think they thought the clock got too late, and they didn’t (foul). The fact that we lost the 3-point shooter was not a good thing…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/insider-travel-issues-miscommunication-3-214412222.html

Author : IndyStar | The Indianapolis Star

Publish date : 2023-12-23 21:44:12

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