Banner opener for Butler

INDIANAPOLIS - No. 17 Butler had a banner time Saturday.

Shelvin Mack scored 20 points and Andrew Smith added a career-high 10 as the Bulldogs routed Marian 83-54 in their season-opener.

Before the game, the Bulldogs (1-0) celebrated their run to last season's national championship game by unveiling the first Final Four banner in school history.

Then Butler tried to show everyone it was ready to start all over.

Jordan Tucker scored 11 points to lead Marian, an NAIA school from Indianapolis. But the Knights counted the game as an exhibition and not against their season record.

Predictably, it was lopsided.

But at Butler, it was a day to remember. Hinkle Fieldhouse, the oldest college basketball arena in Indiana, finally got to hang its first Final Four banner.

The celebration came after the public address announcer introduced Marian's starting lineup and during the five-minute break, the Bulldogs turned back the clock. They played radio calls from Butler's three NCAA tournament upsets over Syracuse, Kansas State and Michigan State that got them into the national championship game, rekindling memories of their run to the national title game and each succeeding win drew more applause from the crowd.

► NO. 5 PITTSBURGH 95, NORTH FLORIDA 49: At Pittsburgh, Brad Wanamaker scored 17 points and No. 5 Pittsburgh pulled away from fatigued North Florida with a 26-6 run in the first half for the Panthers' 50th straight at home against a non-conference opponent.

J.J. Moore, a freshman forward seeing his most extensive playing time this season, led Pitt with 19 points and had eight rebounds. All but three of his points came after Pitt opened a 30-point lead early in the second half.

► No. 18 Washington 118, McNeese St. 64: At Seattle, Matthew Bryan-Amaning scored a career-high 28 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for Washington in the season-opener for both teams.

Bryan-Amaning, the Huskies' 6-foot-9 senior forward, was 11 of 18 from the field. He was two rebounds short of his career high.

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