Marquette Edges Butler 74-72, Advances To Sweet 16 In NCAA Tournament

Marquette Survives Another Wild Finish
LEXINGTON, KY - MARCH 23: Jamil Wilson #0 of the Marquette Golden Eagles handles the ball against Roosevelt Jones #21 of the Butler Bulldogs in the first half during the third round of the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Rupp Arena on March 23, 2013 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - MARCH 23: Jamil Wilson #0 of the Marquette Golden Eagles handles the ball against Roosevelt Jones #21 of the Butler Bulldogs in the first half during the third round of the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Rupp Arena on March 23, 2013 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Vander Blue scored 19 second-half points to rally third-seeded Marquette out of another hole, and the Golden Eagles survived No. 6 Butler 74-72 on Saturday to reach the Round of 16.

Like November's first meeting between the teams at the Maui Invitational, won 72-71 by Butler on Rotnei Clarke's buzzer-beating 3-pointer, this was a back-and-forth, high-intensity affair, that came down to the final shot.

Only this time, Butler missed.

Marquette (25-8) will meet the winner of Sunday's game between Illinois and Miami (Fla.) on Thursday in Washington, D.C.

Clarke's 24 points led Butler (28-9).

Blue, the junior whose last-second layup edged Davidson on Thursday, led the Golden Eagles' rally from a 35-27 halftime deficit and tied the game at 69 on 3-pointer with 1:25 remaining.

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