COL BKB: Cleveland State 57, Butler 54
March 10, 2009
Cleveland State knocked off 17th-ranked Butler Tuesday to win the Horizon League final and earn a berth in the NCAA tournament.
Cleveland State (25-10), lost a pair of two-point contests to Butler during the regular season, but beat the Bulldogs (26-5) on their home floor. The Vikings are headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1986.
Shelvin Mack, who led Butler with 18 points, and Gordon Hayward each had shots at game-tying 3-pointers in the final seconds, but both bounced off the rim.
Cedric Jackson had 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for the Vikings. Cleveland State was not under consideration for an at-large selection, so the victory knocked one bubble team out of contention.
Source: upi