Men's Basketball Fall to Butler

The Mavericks had a tough matchup against Butler Community College on Saturday, where they ultimately fell short with a score of 78-81.

In the first half, the game swung back and forth, with Northwest Tech maintaining a steady lead for the first ten minutes. However, Butler would go on a short run, taking the lead 27-25 at the eight-minute mark. Despite a close battle, Butler retained a narrow advantage, heading into halftime with a score of 39-44.

The second half unfolded similarly to the first. Butler would first go on a short run, gaining a 10-point advantage just past the 18-minute mark before Tech quickly narrowed the gap. The rest of the game remained physical with both teams drawing fouls on nearly every drive. Northwest Tech would make a comeback around the two-minute mark, capitalizing off of quick steals, putting the game within two points, 73-75. After a 30-second timeout by Butler, the Mavs would give up a quick layup before Keyishon Miller drained a three-pointer from the top of the key, putting the score at 76-77 with a minute left. However, after a missed layup by Butler, a jump ball would cause Northwest Tech to turnover the ball, after which Butler would score a layup, putting them ahead by three points with 16 seconds left. Despite Tech's best efforts, they would not be able to get an open look from beyond the arc, resulting in the offense settling for a layup, forcing them to foul Butler with just seconds left. Butler would make both free throws before Tech narrowly missed a last-second shot at the buzzer.

Men's Basketball will take a quick break before hosting the Seward County Saints on Saturday, February 3rd, at the Max Jones Fieldhouse.