ANCHORAGE (Nov. 23) ? Pete Campbell scored 26 points on seven three-pointers and point guard Mike Green tossed in 23 points to lead 22nd-ranked Butler to a 84-78 overtime victory over Virginia Tech on Friday night, putting the Bulldogs into their first-ever Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout championship game.
Butler (5-0), which also got 17 points from star guard A.J. Graves, outscored the Hokies 16-10 in the overtime period, going 4-for-5 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free throw line.
Freshman forward Jeff Allen scored a team-high 21 points (10-18 FG, 1-2 FT) for Virginia Tech (2-1), including dropping in the game-tying bucket with 17 seconds remaining in regulation. Allen, who also recorded a game-best nine rebound, had a chance to put the Hokies ahead after getting fouled on the play, but missed his free throw attempt.
The Bulldogs, who owned a 30-28 edge at halftime, would grab their largest lead of the night of 11 (63-52) at the 9:03 mark of the second on a pair of free throws from Matt Howard, but Virginia Tech would claw back to within three (65-62) on a basket from Malco Delaney with 3:26 remaining.
A three-pointer by Graves at the 3:05 mark would give Butler a six-point cushion at 68-62, but the Hokies would go on a 6-0 run to end the half on a pair of free throws from A.D. Vassallo and two buckets from Allen to send the game to overtime.
Butler would outscore Virginia Tech 10-2 in the opening 2:05 of overtime, including getting a pair of three-pointers from Campbell and Graves, to shake off the Hokies and advance to the championship game.
Butler will face the winner of the night's second semifinal game between Texas Tech and Gonzaga Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
