 Butler ended the regular season with a 27 – 3 record , taking first place in the Horizon League with a 16 – 2 in conference mark . The team beat Illinois @-@ Chicago 66 – 50 and Cleveland State 70 – 55 to claim the league 's tournament title and an automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA tournament . Butler was awarded the seven seed in the East Regional . They beat tenth @-@ seeded South Alabama 81 – 61 in the first round , before falling to second @-@ seeded Tennessee 76 – 71 in overtime . 
