Many basketball commentators picked UTEP to pull the upset , and at halftime it looked like they might be right , as UTEP led 33 – 27 . Stevens made a number of halftime adjustments , and the Bulldogs came out firing on all cylinders in the second half . The team dominated the second half and won the game 77 – 59 . Butler next faced off with thirteenth seeded Murray State . The game was close throughout , but Butler emerged victorious 54 – 52 when Hayward deflected a Murray State pass into the back court with less than five seconds on the clock . The win gave Stevens the first Sweet Sixteen appearance of his career .