Byrd's layup lifts Butler over No. 1 Hutchinson, 78-77

Byrd's layup lifts Butler over No. 1 Hutchinson, 78-77

Derrick Byrd scored on a layup with three seconds left as the Butler men knocked off No. 1-ranked Hutchinson 78-77 in a thriller at the Power Plant.

It is the fourth time in history the Butler men have knocked off a No. 1-ranked Hutchinson team (1992, 2011, 2013, 2016). Butler is now 4-1 against Hutchinson when it has been atop the national polls. Hutchinson's only win over Butler as a No. 1 team came in 1975. 

Butler trailed by as many as nine points in the second half, but hit three 3-pointers in the final 3:19 to crawl back into the game. Caelan Neal's 3-pointer with 1:11 to play put Butler in front 74-73 for the first time since early in the second half.

Neal made a jump shot with 22 seconds left to put Butler back in front 76-75, but Butler fouled Hutchinson and James Conley made two free throws with 10.7 left to put the Blue Dragons back up by one.

Butler answered when Byrd went the length of the floor and laid the ball in for the game-winning layup. Hutchinson got off a shot at the buzzer that glanced off the backboard, giving Butler the win.

Butler and Hutch had little to separate them in the first half. The score was tied 14-14 midway through the half. Hutchinson took a 23-18 lead with 5:43 left in the half, but Derrick Byrd hit two straight 3-pointers to put Butler up 24-23.

Byrd would get a layup with 1:32 left in the period to put Butler up 33-32 and the Grizzlies would take that lead into the locker room at the half.

Daven Joseph made two free throws with 19:36 left in the game and Butler led 35-32 just moments into the second half. Hutchinson would go on a 17-5 run and opened up a 49-40 lead after a dunk by Samajae Haynes-Jones with 15:18 to play.

Hutchinson led 67-59 with 6:46 to go after a dunk by Keanu Pinder, but the Grizzlies got a four points from Daven Joseph and a free throw by Rashawn Chapman to stay within striking distance, setting the stage for 3-pointers by Travis House, Derrick Byrd and Caelan Neal to put Butler in the lead.

Derrick Byrd led Butler with 22 points and eight assists, while Caelan Neal had 18 points and a team-high six rebounds. Rashawn Chapman added 13 points for the Grizzlies. Bashir Ahmed led Hutchinson with 25 points.

Butler is now 11-7 overall, 3-4 in Jayhawk Conference play. Hutchinson is now 16-2 overall and 5-2 in conference. Butler will be off Wednesday and will play again at home next Saturday at 4 p.m. against Independence.