TEMPE, Ariz. — Jahmyl Telfort delivered an impressive performance by scoring 23 points, while Andre Screen contributed significantly with 15 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks on Thursday night. Butler managed to bounce back from a 15-point lead loss to secure a 71-69 victory over Northwestern during the Arizona Tip-Off.

Butler, now with a record of 5-1, is set to face the winner of the UNLV versus No. 25 Mississippi State matchup in the championship game of the Cactus Division on Friday. In contrast, Northwestern, holding a record of 5-2, will compete against the losing team in the third-place game.

The intensity of the game escalated when Ty Berry made a crucial three-pointer followed by a steal that led to a layup by Jalen Leach just two seconds later. This sequence allowed Northwestern to take a narrow 53-52 lead with 6 and a half minutes remaining, marking their first advantage since leading 6-4 early on. However, Telfort quickly responded by sinking two free throws, and Finley Bizjack soon added a three-pointer, allowing Butler to reclaim the lead and maintain it for the rest of the contest.

Brooks Barnhizer attempted to rally Northwestern by making a layup and scoring two free throws in quick succession to close the gap to 63-62. Nonetheless, Patrick McCaffrey, who recorded a total of 10 points in the game, sealed Butler’s victory by sinking two free throws with just 9 seconds on the clock.

Leading the charge for Northwestern was Barnhizer, who scored a total of 24 points, while Matthew Nicholson added 14 points. In contrast, Nick Martinelli, who had been averaging 23.8 points per game—the fourth highest nationally—managed only seven points on a difficult 3-of-15 shooting performance.

Screen played a pivotal role in a remarkable 17-2 run that helped Butler establish a 21-8 lead with eight minutes remaining in the first half, finishing this stretch with a tip-in and a layup. A three-pointer from Patrick McCaffrey stretched Butler’s lead to 15 points nearly two minutes later. Meanwhile, Northwestern struggled significantly with their shooting, converting only two of their first 15 attempts and finishing the first half shooting 9 of 29, which is just 31%.

With this victory, Butler extended their winning streak against Northwestern to seven consecutive games.