INDIANAPOLIS — LJ Thomas played a crucial role in Austin Peay’s nail-biting win over Butler, scoring 29 points and sealing the game with a layup just 46 seconds before the final buzzer, resulting in a close score of 68-66 on Friday evening.

Thomas also contributed significantly on the boards, grabbing eight rebounds for the Governors, who improved their record to 2-0. Sai Witt supported the team with nine points, shooting 4-of-7 overall and making 1-of-4 from the free-throw line. Quan Lax matched Witt’s nine points, hitting 3-of-8 from the field, including a 3-pointer where he converted 1-of-3 attempts, and successfully netting 2-of-3 free throws.

On the Butler side, the Bulldogs (1-1) were led by Patrick McCaffery, who notched 23 points along with eight rebounds. Additionally, Pierre Brooks contributed with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Finley Bizjack added a solid performance with 10 points, six assists, and two steals.

In the second half, Thomas emerged as the leading scorer for Austin Peay, tallied a total of 12 points, including the critical basket that clinched the victory for his team.