Butler Does a Job on Wisconsin

Mike Kelley somehow found a sliver of sunshine in 10th-ranked Wisconsin’s stunning 58-44 loss to Butler on Tuesday night at Madison, Wis.

“We have the consolation of a loss in the middle of the Big Ten season that has no bearing on that race, and that’s a plus,� Kelley said.

His coach wasn’t buying it.

“I don’t know if I can turn it into a positive,� Brad Soderberg said. “The only thing that came to my mind when I talked to the guys is that what it’s all about right now is their attitude tomorrow.

“We can’t do anything about this embarrassment. We can’t have this game over. It’s a loss. And I’m going to try to draw whatever correctable things I can out of the tape.�

There will be plenty, such as the single offensive rebound in the second half, the six-for-16 foul shooting, Mark Vershaw’s terrible play in the low post.

Truth be told, though, Soderberg simply didn’t have an answer for Butler’s trio of small, quick guards.

“They did what I feared they would do,� Soderberg said. “The bottom line is their three perimeter guys were quicker with the dribble than we were able to defend.�

And Soderberg can’t fault his players for not matching up well.

“I didn’t get the feeling that our guys were overlooking them or that they didn’t respect the quality of their players,� Soderberg said. “Sometimes we’re just not good enough to beat certain teams because they have weapons that we can’t defend.

“They beat us soundly. There’s no way around it.�

Brandon Miller scored 17 points and Thomas Jackson added 14 as Butler handed the Badgers their first nonconference home loss in more than three years, ended Wisconsin’s streak of 20 consecutive nonconference victories and its 11-game unbeaten streak in the Kohl Center.

Wisconsin (13-5) lost a nonleague game in Madison for the first time since falling to Temple on Dec. 6, 1997.

This week, the Badgers cracked the top 10 for the first time since Dec. 11, 1962, and center Mark Vershaw said that only made them bigger targets.

“What might have made it tougher was that you add the 10th ranking along with the Final Four and it was a chance for them to be extra excited to come in here and play us,� said Vershaw, who was limited to six points.

Butler (14-6), a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, hadn’t beaten a ranked team since upsetting No. 19 Oklahoma in the 1997 Big Island Invitational.

“This is a huge win for us, to beat a top 10 team in the country on their home court,� said Butler’s first-year coach, Thad Matta.

No. 5 Michigan State 91, Michigan 64--Jason Richardson scored 17 points and four of his teammates also scored in double figures as the Spartans (17-2, 6-2) routed the Wolverines (9-10, 3-5) in a Big Ten game at Ann Arbor, Mich.

Michigan State has won six in a row over Michigan for the first time in the series.

No. 13 Florida 81, No. 8 Tennessee 67--Sparked by the surprise return of Teddy Dupay, the Gators (14-4, 4-3) overpowered the Volunteers (17-4, 4-3) in a Southeastern Conference game at Gainesville, Fla.

Matt Bonner had 21 points to lead the Gators, but the hero of their third consecutive victory was Dupay, who scored eight late, critical points in his first game back since undergoing back surgery Jan. 10. He was supposed to be sidelined four to six weeks.

Ron Slay scored 18 points to lead the Volunteers.

ELSEWHERE

St. John’s 60, Connecticut 55--Omar Cook had 17 points and nine assists to lead the Red Storm (12-7, 6-2) over the Huskies (13-7, 2-5) in a Big East game at New York.

Southern Mississippi 78, Marquette 65--Vandarel Jones scored 22 points to lead the Golden Eagles (16-4, 6-2) to a Conference USA victory over the Golden Eagles (10-8, 5-2) at Milwaukee.

Xavier 82, Dayton 72--David West scored 25 points to lead the Musketeers (16-3, 7-1) to an Atlantic 10 victory over the Flyers (12-9, 3-5) at Cincinnati.

Texas 81, Texas A&M; 61--Darren Kelly scored 19 points to help the Longhorns (16-5, 5-2) rout the Aggies (6-14, 0-8) in a Big 12 game at Austin, Texas.

WOMEN

No. 11 Louisiana State 85, Louisiana Lafayette 48--April Brown scored 17 points as the Tigers (15-4) rolled over the Ragin Cajuns (6-13) at Baton Rouge, La.