Butler And Oakland Clinch Conference Championships

It wasn't pretty, but the Butler Bulldogs are going back to the Dance. Led by 18 points from Matt Howard and 14 from Shelvin Mack, the reigning Horizon League champions defended their title with a 59-44 win over Milwaukee, halting the Panthers bid for it's first NCAA Tournament berth since 2006. In a game that will probably be remembered for it's awful shooting, the two teams combined to hit just 33-of-90 shots, with Milwaukee shooting just 30% from the floor.

In the Summit League final, Oakland put the finishing touches on a second straight romp through their conference, finishing 17-1 and sweeping through the tournament once again, downing Oral Roberts 90-76. NBA prospect Keith Benson put on a dominating performance, finishing with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks, while junior Reggie Hamilton had an equally impressive (if less efficient) 26-point effort. 

We'll have more news and reaction on both games tomorrow in our Mid-Major Morning Mashups.