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Butler claims Great Alaska Shootout title over Texas Tech

Nov 25, 2007 - 8:55 AM ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Ticker) -- Mike Green scored 23 points and was named the Most Outstanding Player as 23rd-ranked Butler rode its 3-point shooting all the way to the the Great Alaska Shootout title, 81-71, over Texas Tech on Saturday night.

Pete Campbell added 12 points and hit 4-of-7 shots from the arc, finishing with 17 3-pointers for the tournament - one behind the record set by Missouri-Kansas City's Quinton Day last season - for the Bulldogs (6-0).

After hitting 14 shots from the arc against Virginia Tech in their last game, the Bulldogs made 7-of-12 3-pointers against Texas Tech, which could not contain Butler's arsenal of shooters - including A.J. Graves, who contributed 20 points and was 6-of-8 from the arc.

Butler set the tournament record for 3-pointers made in the Shootout with 47 - eclipsing UC-Irvine's mark of 34 set in 1990.

The Bulldogs' 3-point supremacy was evident from the start against Texas Tech, as they hit four straight 3-pointers to briefly take a 31-19 lead with four minutes left in the first half.

However, Texas Tech responded with a 13-3 run to end the first half and entered the locker room trailing by just two.

When they emerged, Butler was still white-hot from long range, hitting threes on four of its first six possessions - capped by Graves' 3-pointer which forced Texas Tech coach Bob Knight to take a timeout with his team trailing, 48-36.

The Red Raiders (4-2) never got closer than six points the remainder of the game as Butler hit five more threes in the final eight minutes to solidify the tournament title for first-year head coach Brad Stevens.

Stevens served as an assistant at Butler for six seasons before taking over during the offseason following the departure of Todd Lickliter, who left for Iowa.

Butler has now won two preaseson tournaments in the last two seasons, beating Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee and Gonzaga en route to the NIT Season Tip-off title in 2006.