The Butler Bulldogs had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 28 points), and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They had just enough and edged East Mecklenburg out 48-45. Despite the victory, that was the fewest points Butler has scored all season.
Tyler Showalter was his usual excellent self, scoring 21 points along with seven rebounds. The game was his eighth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Terrance Badio, who scored nine points.
Several Eagles players turned in solid performances, despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Ahmari Hicks, who scored 15 points along with seven rebounds. The game was Hicks' ninth in a row with at least ten points. Derrick Rupert was another key contributor, scoring nine points along with seven rebounds.
The win got Butler back to even at 4-4. As for East Mecklenburg, their loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 7-2.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Butler will be home for the holidays to greet Berry at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Berry has now lost seven straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since November 21. East Mecklenburg will be home for the holidays to greet Marvin Ridge at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in North Carolina (Marvin Ridge is ranked 131st, while East Mecklenburg is ranked 133rd).
