Butler picks up overtime win against Oklahoma

The Butler Bulldogs picked up a big road win Tuesday evening, defeating the Oklahoma Sooners, 66-62 in overtime.

The game was competitive for the first few minutes, but Butler fell into a rut and couldn’t seem to get anything going on offense. Oklahoma pulled out to a 31-21 lead and forced 13 Butler turnovers along the way, as the Bulldogs continued to have the turnover issues that have plagued them all season so far.

The second half saw the script flip, though. After Oklahoma pushed their lead up to 12, Butler seemed to finally wake up. as Bryce Golden, Aaron Thompson, Chuck Harris, and DJ Hughes went on a 9-0 run to pull the Bulldogs within two points with 10 minutes to play. Oklahoma immediately went back up by seven, but Hughes and Harris remained undeterred as they chipped away. With 2:31 to play, Simas Lukosis hit a three to give the Bulldogs a one-point lead, their first since midway through the first half. Butler would go up 54-51 with 10 seconds to go, but didn’t foul Oklahoma, and Elijah Harkless hit a big three for the Sooners to force overtime.

Generally, when you’re on the road in college basketball and the home team is able to force overtime, things don’t go well for you in the extra period. With 90 seconds to play, Jordan Goldwire hit a three to put Oklahoma up 62-58. This would be the final time the Sooners scored, as Butler went on an 8-0 run to finish the game, as Harris, Hughes, Lukosis, and Thompson all came up big from the field or free throw line to clinch the victory.

Chuck Harris had a season-high 26 points in the win. Bryce Golden was the only other Bulldog in double figures with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Elijah Harkless led Oklahoma with 16 points.

Butler improves to 6-3 on the year and will host Eastern Illinois on Saturday.