RALEIGH, N.C. — After one of its best defensive halves of the season, Butler played one of its worst. That can happen to a No. 9 seed opposing a No. 1 seed that has little sizzle but plenty of meat.
Virginia shot 73 percent in the second half – featuring a 12-of-13 start – and pulled away from the Bulldogs 77-69 Saturday night in the NCAA Midwest Regional.
The Cavaliers (28-7) advance to the Sweet 16 to meet No. 4 seed Iowa State (23-11) on Friday at Chicago. Butler finished 22-11 after spending all of February and March “on the bubble” of making the NCAA tournament.