INDIANAPOLIS — Jahmyl Telfort scored 29 points as Butler beat Missouri State 72-65 on Monday night in a season opener.
Telfort shot 7 of 12 from the field, including 4 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 11 for 16 from the line for the Bulldogs. Pierre Brooks scored 13 points while going 3 of 7 and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. Patrick McCaffery shot 3 for 9, including 3 for 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points.
The Bears were led by Dez White, who recorded 21 points. Zaxton King added 12 points and five assists and Jalen Hampton had 10 points and six rebounds.
Led by 16 first-half points from Telfort, Butler carried a 39-36 lead into the break. Telfort's free throw with 6:47 left in the second half gave Butler the lead for good at 57-56.
Butler 72, Missouri St. 65
MISSOURI ST. (0-1) — Osei-Bonsu 4-7 0-1 8, Brady 0-4 0-0 0, Hampton 5-6 0-0 10, Z.King 4-11 1-2 12, White 6-18 5-5 21, Martin 2-8 0-2 4, Oba 1-3 0-0 3, Downing-Rivers 3-10 0-0 7, Udemadu 0-0 0-0 0, Murray 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 25-67 6-10 65.
BUTLER (1-0) — Brooks 3-7 6-7 13, McCaffery 3-9 2-2 11, Telfort 7-12 11-16 29, Screen 2-5 1-1 5, Moore 0-0 1-2 1, K.King 2-9 0-0 4, Cassia 4-5 0-0 9, Haywood 0-0 0-0 0, Kapke 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-47 21-28 72.
Halftime—Butler 39-36. 3-Point Goals—Missouri St. 9-28 (White 4-13, Z.King 3-9, Oba 1-1, Downing-Rivers 1-2, Brady 0-1, Martin 0-2), Butler 9-20 (Telfort 4-6, McCaffery 3-6, Brooks 1-2, Cassia 1-2, Screen 0-1, K.King 0-3). Fouled Out—Murray. Rebounds—Missouri St. 27 (Oba 8), Butler 30 (Screen 8). Assists—Missouri St. 13 (Z.King, White 5), Butler 12 (McCaffery, K.King 3). Total Fouls—Missouri St. 28, Butler 14. A—7,887 (9,100).
