Kevin Willard quotebook: Butler postgame

On the difference down the stretch:
"I thought they made two tough, really tough plays. I thought (Andrew) Chrabascz's charge was huge, a great play by a senior stepping up, and I thought (Kelan) Martin's pull-up jumper when we had gone up one or cut it to one was really tough."

On first half struggles:
"I thought both teams came out and played really hard and tough defensively. I think both teams really got after it. I don't think either team really played well in the first half, because I thought both teams really played physically on the defensive end. We gave up 26 points, and one of them was a tough three by Martin at the end of the shot clock. We had 19, so again, some of our missed free throws have really taken some steam out of our sails, but I was pleased with the way we played in the first half defensively."

On Butler and why they pose a tough matchup for Seton Hall:
"I've had dreams the last two nights of bulldogs chasing me, I don't think they're going away anytime. We're having a hard time understanding how to score on them. I have to do a better job with that."

On offensive execution in final five minutes:
"I think they made a couple of really good -- we got to the rim, it was 51-49, I think. We missed a tough layup, we made a great defensive stop, got on the break and then Chrabascz made a good charge and (Tyler) Wideman played good low post defense. We lost -- (Kamar) Baldwin hit a tough shot on us. Sometimes it's as close as that."

On Myles Powell and his minutes:
"He was 3-for-9 and 2-for-8. They're one of the best three-point defensive teams, not only in the league, but in the country. They do a great job of contesting shots late, and sometimes in a defensive battle, you go offense/defense and we were getting stops. They got two big offensive rebounds under two (minutes left) that really hurt."

On how Butler is different this year when compared to last year:
"I think they're better, because I think -- I love what Kethan Savage brings to their game. Defensively, I think they're better. Obviously, Roosevelt (Jones) and (Kellen) Dunham are two tremendous players, but I think he (Savage) really brings a toughness on the defensive end, plus he can really get in the lane and use his size. I think they're better defensively than they were last year, which is tough to say. Chrabascz and Wideman are two of the best big men not only in the league, but in the country. They just don't get a whole lot of recognition, but those two guys really battle. Chrabascz is such a fun player to watch. He's a senior, I think Martin's a junior now, Wideman plays great. I think having Savage out there, although they don't shoot it as well, I think they defend it a little bit better and Kamar Baldwin's playing great, so he's been a nice bonus for them."

On Angel Delgado and his second straight 20-rebound game:
"Angel battled the last two games. To do it against Wideman and Chrabascz and those guys is really impressive. We have to do a better job as a team of when he gets offensive rebounds and kind of capitalizing a little bit. That's got to be a little bit better of a weapon for us, but he's been phenomenal."

On whether Wednesday's loss was a missed opportunity:
"We have ten league games left. We have a lot of opportunities. That's the great thing about this league, it's not like this is the only one you're going to get. In certain leagues, you only get one. Just about every night right now, you're going to have an opportunity. We're going to enjoy a couple of days off and get back at it, and come back in. We're playing Xavier next Wednesday, so that's another huge opportunity for us. Obviously, it's a big opportunity, but it's not the only opportunity."

On Khadeen Carrington's status:
"He popped his two fingers out on the rim, he dislocated them, they popped them back in. A couple of days off and he should be fine."