INDIANAPOLIS – The Utah Runnin' Utes dropped a road contest to the Butler Bulldogs, 81-69, Tuesday evening at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
The Utes fell to 6-2 overall on the season, while the Bulldogs pushed its record to 7-2 and picked up the nation's third-longest non-conference home winning streak with its 40^th straight victory.
 
Utah trailed by as many as seven points early in the first half, down 13-6, but then proceeded to go on an 11-0 run to take a 17-13 lead. The Utes would lead by as many as eight points, up 25-17 at the 9:16 mark, but the Bulldogs managed to outscore the Utes 17-6 over the final nine minutes and took a 34-31 lead into the locker room.
 
The Utes would keep the game close in the opening minutes of the second half thanks to a couple of three-pointers from Sedrick Barefield and Gabe Bealer, but Butler later used a 14-0 run to go up 53-39. Utah would get it back to within eight points, down 63-55, but Butler again used another run to go back up by 15 points. Tillman would score seven straight points for the Utes down the stretch, including back-to-back three-pointers to get the Utes within five points, but the home team scored the game's final seven points to earn the 12-point victory.
 
Tillman (20 points) led the way for the Utes offensively on Tuesday going 8-for-14 from the field overall. He also led the Utes on the boards with seven rebounds on the evening.
 
Utah will be back in action this Saturday, Dec. 9, taking on Utah State in the first game of the Beehive Classic at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. MT and the game will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.
 
GAME NOTES
• Utah dropped to 1-3 all-time against Butler and 15-18 overall against teams from the Big East.
• Tillman registered his seventh straight double-digit scoring effort, finishing the game with a new season/career-high 20 points.
• Overall, four Utah players scored in double figures. Barefield added 14 points, while Justin Bibbins and Gabe Bealer both chipped in with 10 points each.