Much like the women's game earlier in the evening, Barton held a first ten minute advantage despite leading scorer Algie Key on the bench with two early fouls. The Grizzlies then went on an 8-0 run in the next four minutes to grab a 26-19 lead. The Cougars countered with a Kevin Kuteyi trey followed by a Key steal and dunk to cut the deficit to five with three minutes remaining. Another 8-0 run by Butler to close the half increased the Grizzly lead to 39-28 into intermission.
The Cougars kept battling back in the second half and finally took the lead at 53-52 with 8:06 to play. A Key bucket followed by a Raheem Johnson stick-back gave the Cougars its first lead in over twenty-one minutes of play.
A key stretch came with six minutes remaining when the Cougars held a 55-52 lead but missed multiple opportunities to increase the lead. Butler capitalized by connecting on two free throws to seize back the momentum and draw within one.
A Shomari Triggs driving bank shot was the lone field goal scored in the last six minutes but it proved to be a difference maker as it gave Butler the lead for good at 58-56 with 1:21 to play. The Cougars then committed a turnover and gave up a key offensive rebound resulting in two game clinching free throws by Butler's Sean Osler.
Freshman Kevin Kuteyi came off the bench to lead the Cougars in scoring with a career high twenty-one points. Key, despite playing a limited twenty-nine minutes, scored twelve and led the Cougars with three assists. Raheem Johnson just missed posting a double-double with nine points and thirteen rebounds while Andell Cumberbatch grabbed eleven. Shooting only 33% from the field as a team, the big three for the Cougars of Key, Cumberbatch, and Parker combined for only twenty-one points with on 8-of-30 shooting.
Triggs' fourteen points was the lone Grizzly to reach double-figures but five other players scored seven or more points. Osler led the Butler 43-40 rebound advantage by grabbing ten including two pivotal offensive rebounds in the game's last two minutes.