Jahmyl Telfort led the Butler Bulldogs with 24 points, while Pierre Brooks II contributed 22, as Butler secured a victory over the No. 25 ranked Mississippi State with an 87-77 score line during the Arizona Tip-Off held on Friday night.

Butler, now boasting a record of 6-1, advanced to the finals after narrowly defeating Northwestern 61-59 in the semifinals, nearly squandering a 15-point advantage. The Bulldogs faced a strong comeback effort from Mississippi State, who diminished Butler’s 11-point lead.

In a striking three minutes of the second half, Riley Kugel quickly scored 10 points, as Josh Hubbard added 13 in a row, narrowing Butler’s lead to just 70-68 after an 8-0 scoring streak by Mississippi State (6-1). However, Brooks hit a crucial three-pointer, and Telfort followed with a floater, further extending Butler’s lead to 81-70 with about two and a half minutes remaining. After this, Mississippi State was unable to close the gap to less than eight points.

In total, Hubbard and Kugel both ended the game with 22 points, but their efforts fell short against the resolute Butler defense.

Butler showcased an impressive offensive performance, shooting 53% from the field and successfully converting 12 of 22 from beyond the arc, marking its biggest win of the ongoing season. In contrast, Mississippi State struggled with its outside shooting, hitting only 7 of 27 attempts from three-point range. They also faced significant defensive challenges during the game, resulting in their first loss of the season.

A critical turning point in the match came when Brooks scored two quick baskets right after Mississippi State had cut the deficit to two points, allowing Butler to regain momentum and expand their lead steadily.

In terms of statistics, Mississippi State excelled at rebounding during their semifinal win against UNLV, amassing 30 second-chance points off 19 offensive rebounds. However, against Butler, they were limited to only 11 offensive rebounds, resulting in just seven second-chance points.

Looking ahead, Mississippi State will host Pittsburgh on Wednesday, while Butler is set to welcome Eastern Illinois on Tuesday.