Butler ends Badgers' season in Sweet 16

• University of Wisconsin

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NEW ORLEANS - The University of Wisconsin men's basketball team was eliminated from the NCAA men’s basketball tournament last night, losing to Butler 61-54 in a Southeast Regional semi-final in New Orleans.

The fourth-seeded Badgers shot just 30-percent against a stingy defense by the Number-eight Bulldogs. Wisconsin committed eight turnovers in the first half, after averaging just seven-and-a-half per game coming in. Butler took an early 6-5 lead and never trailed after that. They led by as many as 20 before the Badgers rallied for a 22-5 run which made the final score respectable.

Matt Howard had 20 points and 12 rebounds, as last year’s national runners-up won their 12th straight game. Jordan Taylor scored 22 points for Wisconsin, which was going for its first Elite-Eight bid since 2005. Jon Leuer only made 1-of-12 shots from the floor and was held to three points, as the Badgers ended their season at 25-9.

Butler center Andrew Smith twisted an ankle, but came back to get eight points and six boards in 24 minutes. Smith said a lot of people assumed Butler would bow out after the first-or-second rounds – and they’re out to prove everybody wrong again, just like last year. The Bulldogs improved to 26-9, and will play Number-two Florida in the regional final tomorrow. And Butler won’t have to face Duke, who beat them in last year’s title game. Top-seeded Duke fell to Arizona by 16 points last night.

Tags: wisconsin sports, sports, basketball, proam