NCAA: Butler beats Murray State 54-52

Matt Howard, an 80-percent foul shooter, missed the second of two free throws for Butler, and Murray State raced downcourt with a chance to tie the game. The Racers got the ball in the hands of Isaiah Canaan, a freshman, and he dribbled around as if he were lost.

Butler managed to poke it into the backcourt, and the clock wound to zeros without Murray State ever getting off a shot. Final score: 54-52.

The Bulldogs are into the round of 16 for the third time in the past eight years and will play Syracuse or Gonzaga in Salt Lake City on Thursday.

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Murray State nearly got a 5-second call on the inbounds play out of a timeout, but Butler got it to Matt Howard, who was immediately fouled. He made the first of two before a timeout as the Bulldogs try to hold on.

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Ohio's DeVaughn Washington took a hard spill and knocked his noggin on the hardwood. He was slow to get up, but rubbed his head and stayed in the game.

Ohio's shooting is a real head-scratcher — only 16 of 43 midway through the second half.

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Butler coach Brad Stevens yelled at his team, "Don't foul," as it broke out of a timeout. And Shelvin Mack promptly fouled Isacc Miles, a good free throw shooter, allowing only 3 seconds to tick off the clock.

The junior from Kansas City knocked down both to make it 53-52 with 21.7 seconds left, and Murray State trapped Mack in the corner — his second big mistake in the closing seconds. The Bulldogs were forced to burn the timeout, still clinging to a one-point lead and the ball.

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Butler had the ball knotted at 50-all, and Ronald Nored took it into traffic and made the kiss off the glass while getting the foul call. His free throw with 25.4 seconds left made it 53-50 over Murray State.