Photo credit: @HOFClassic

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Butler’s Kamar Baldwin didn’t just take over in the final minutes of the Hall of Fame Classic championship, his 18-foot jumper in the closing seconds gave the Bulldogs a 68-67 win over Stanford Tuesday in Kansas City.

It was the Cardinal’s first loss of the season after seven consecutive victories, and their first game this season against a Power Five school.

Baldwin scored six of his 22 points in the final 1 ½ minutes. Bryce Nze scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds, and Bryce Golden added 12 points for the undefeated Bulldogs (7-0).

Stanford (7-1) was led by Tyrell Tyler’s 21 points, followed by Oscar da Silva with 19, Bryce Willis with 12 and Spencer Jones 11.

The Cardinal led 51-48 with six minutes remaining before Butler used a 10-0 run to go up by six. After a Baldwin trey put the Bulldogs up by eight, Stanford used a 9-1 run to tie the game at 62-all at the two-minute mark.

With 41 seconds to play, Baldwin connected on a layup and a jumper, giving the Bulldogs a four-point lead. Stanford responded with a Jones 3-pointer and a dunk by Willis to take a 67-66 lead with 21 seconds to play.

Baldwin hit his game-winner on the next possession.

Stanford made nine 3-pointers, including one by Terry at the first half buzzer that tied the game at 29-all. Butler made six 3’s and converted 12 offensive rebounds into 12 second-chance points. The Cardinal shot 53 percent from the field, but the Bulldogs outrebounded them 31-21.

Butler won despite being without Sean McDermott for much of the game,
McDermott, one of the Bulldogs’ leading scorers, suffered an ankle injury in the first half, but returned in the final minutes.

The Cardinal return home on Sunday, Dec. 1, to host UNC-Wilmington at Maples Pavilion.