Andrew Smith's tip-in caps Butler comeback

INDIANAPOLIS -- Maybe Butler just needs a big stage.

The program that wowed America with its runs through the NCAA Tournament in the last two years looked sluggish through much of its contest with Purdue Saturday.

But when Conseco Fieldhouse finally neared its 19,000-seat capacity -- many fans for the Indiana-Notre Dame nightcap arriving late -- the Bulldogs made their move.

Chase Stigall's layup with 16 seconds remaining gave the Bulldogs (5-6) their first lead of the game. After a free throw from Purdue's Lewis Jackson tied the game at 65, Andrew Smith's tip-in with a second left sent the Bulldogs to the 67-65 victory.

"It was important for us to come in here and play well," Smith said. "We're going to use this momentum to go into this next week and hopefully come out with two wins."

Floundering below .500, the Bulldogs came into the inaugural Crossroads Classic looking like the weakest of Indiana's "Big Four" traditional powers in the event.

They also looked it for much of the day, with the Boilermakers (9-3) holding a substantial advantage at the half in points in the paint (22-10), points off turnovers (16-0) and fast break points (7-0) at the half.

The Boilermakers twice led by 15 points in the first half.

"We've got to play smarter and do a better job when we get a lead of pushing that lead," Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

At the break, Butler trailed 46-35, and the Bulldogs owed how close they were to 5-of-8 three-point shooting and 13 trips to the line, compared to the Boilers' three.

In the second half, even those advantages went away, as Butler went cold from long range (2-of-8) and the charity stripe (2-of-9).

It didn't matter, though, as the Bulldogs became the aggressors on both ends of the court. They scored 22 points in the paint after the break while taking away Purdue threats Robbie Hummel and Ryne Smith on defense. The Boilermakers scored just 19 points on 21-percent shooting.

"I thought we really defended well in the second half; really defended poorly in the first half," Butler coach Brad Stevens said.

Smith and Kameron Woods led the Bulldogs with 12 points each, followed by Stigall's 11.

Hummel's 16 points led the Boilermakers, with Smith and Jackson adding 14 and 13, respectively. However, each player had already reached double figures by halftime. The trio combined for just seven second-half points.

Butler closed the gap to four or five points several times in the game, but Purdue always seemed to have an answer. But after taking a 63-54 lead on Terone Johnson's jumper with 8:48 remaining, the Boilermakers seemed to run out of answers. They were outscored 13-2 for the remainder of the game.

Reflecting on this loss and another to Xavier, Painter said his team needs to finish.

"It's a 40-minute game and we're not finishing games," he said.

At Conseco Fieldhouse

2011 Crossroads Classic

BUTLER (5-6) Nored 1-7 0-0 2, Hopkins 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 4-11 0-2 8, Marshall 4-6 1-6 9, Smith 4-5 4-5 12, Fromm 3-5 1-2 9, Aldridge 0-2 4-4 4, Woods 4-10 2-2 12, Butcher 0-0 0-0 0, Stigall 4-7 0-1 11. Totals 24-53 12-22 67.

PURDUE (9-3) Hummel 6-17 2-3 16, Barlow 3-13 2-2 9, Jackson 6-11 1-3 13, Smith 5-11 1-1 14, Marcius 2-2 0-0 4, T. Johnson 4-6 0-1 8, A. Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Byrd 0-2 0-0 0, Lawson 0-2 1-2 1, Carroll 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-65 7-12 65.

Halftime-Purdue 46-35. 3-Point Goals- Butler 7-16 (Stigall 3-6, Fromm 2-4, Woods 2-5, Nored 0-1), Purdue 6-21 (Smith 3-7, Hummel 2-5, Barlow 1-6, Byrd 0-1, T. Johnson 0-2). Fouled Out-None. Rebounds- Butler 37 (Nored 7), Purdue 37 (Jackson, Lawson 7). Assists- Butler 11 (Jones 4), Purdue 14 (Jackson 6). Total Fouls-Butler 15, Purdue 20. A-NA.