Butler Bulldogs at Georgetown Hoyas

Butler beats Georgetown for 3rd place at Battle 4 Atlantis

The Bulldogs changed coaches in October when Brandon Miller was granted a medical leave of absence, then were picked to finish in the bottom half of the Big East, all while trying to figure out how to bounce back following the program's worst record in nearly a decade.

They seem unfazed by it all.

Kellen Dunham scored 16 points and Butler beat Georgetown 64-58 in an all-Big East matchup for third place at the Battle 4 Atlantis on Friday afternoon. Alex Barlow added 11 for the Bulldogs (5-1), who won two of their three games in the Bahamas for interim coach Chris Holtmann.

"I'm just really proud of our guys' effort today, and their resiliency," Holtmann said.

"The law of averages will even out," Barlow said. "We knew at some point shots were going to fall, and fortunately for us it was at a crucial point in this game."

Isaac Copeland scored 16 points on 7 for 10 shooting for Georgetown (4-2), Paul White added 13 and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera finished with 12 for the Hoyas.

Georgetown lost for the first time in four all-time meetings with Butler. All three of Georgetown's games in the tournament were decided in the final minute, two on the final shot.

"That's not a good thing to get experience and come away with a loss," Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. "We came here to win three games, not to lose two. But we've got to move on."

Ordinarily, conference rivals could not meet in early-season tournaments like this one. But a waiver was granted in Butler's case, since the Bulldogs had accepted the invitation to play in the Bahamas before the school decided to join the Big East.

Butler and Georgetown were on opposite sides of the eight-team bracket. The only way they could meet was by posting exactly the same outcomes both Wednesday and Thursday.

Sure enough, it happened.

And the Bahamas got a glimpse of Big East physicality.

"I think it was a real good challenge for us, seeing where we're at right now," Dunham said.

TIP-INS

Butler: Barlow's 3-pointer with 7:10 left in the half put Butler up 21-13, significant because the Bulldogs never led the Hoyas by more than seven in any of the teams' first three meetings. G Jackson Aldridge (ankle) returned after missing four games and made a quick impact. He induced Smith-Rivera into two fouls within a four-second span in the opening minutes.

CONNECT FOUR

It was the fourth meeting between the schools, and Paradise Island became the fourth different locale to host their matchup. The teams played at Madison Square Garden in New York at the Jimmy V Classic in 2009, then played league games on their respective home floors in Indianapolis and Washington last season.

FOUL TROUBLE

Georgetown had three starters with two fouls in the game's opening minutes. The Hoyas were called for at least 20 fouls in all three games in the Bahamas and were outscored 49-34 from the line.

UP NEXT

Butler: At Indiana State, Wednesday.

Georgetown: Home against Towson, Dec. 7.

How can I watch Butler vs. Georgetown?

• TV Channel: Butler at Georgetown 2021 College Basketball, week 3, is broadcasted on ESPN.
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