Teams rarely come into the CHI Health Center Arena and put on an offensive show against the Creighton Bluejays.

Creighton entered Friday's game against Butler as the 12th-best team in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions). The Bluejays had allowed 65 points or fewer in seven of 11 games at home.

Butler hadn't beaten Creighton in Omaha in nearly a decade. But time and time again, this Butler team proves this is a new era under coach Thad Matta. This group of transfers with something to prove cannot be counted out.

Playing without defensive anchor Posh Alexander (foot), every Bulldog contributed offensively, helping Butler pull out a 99-98 win over No. 13 Creighton.

Against the best defense in the Big East, Butler shot 62% in the second half and made 13 3s on 59.1% shooting. Jahmyl Telfort led Butler with 26 points. D.J. Davis scored 22 points. Pierre Brooks II added 15 points. Telfort and Davis shot a combined 20-for-29 (69%) from the field. Freshmen Boden Kapke, Finley Bizjack and Augusto Cassia all showed flashed of what they're capable of.

More: Butler's freshmen show they won't shy away from the big stage.

The Bulldogs offensive performance made a believer out of longtime coach Greg McDermott.

"Hats off to Butler. They did to us what nobody's been able to do all season long," McDermott said. "Their efficiency from the three-point line, six different guys making 3s. Most of them were 50% or better, except for (Pierre) Brooks, who was 40%.

"We got beat by a team that played really, really well tonight. We have to tip our hats to them. Anybody that can come in here and score 99 points against us on our home floor played pretty darn well."

Come February, it's natural to start thinking about March and the NCAA tournament. Butler hasn't played in March Madness since 2018, but these Bulldogs are starting to build a resume worthy of the Big Dance.

Butler has four Quad 1 wins (Boise State, Texas Tech, Marquette and Creighton), with games against UConn, Marquette and Creighton remaining. Butler was firmly on the tournament bubble before Friday's win. It's likely too soon to know for sure if it's done enough to go dancing, but another quality win could push the Dawgs over the top.

The circumstances surrounding Friday's win highlight why Butler has a compelling case to make the tournament. With Alexander, the Dawgs can grind out games and win with defense. Without him, Butler unleashed an offensive onslaught, putting the ball in Telfort's hands and helping him get to his spots, while Brooks and Davis operate from the outside.

Davis, a somewhat undersized marksman is the type of player who becomes a cult hero during the tournament. He can pull-up from anywhere, and only needs a sliver of daylight to get off his shot. Everyone on this team can score, but they do a great job of sharing the ball, creating an enjoyable style of ball to watch.

"As crazy as it sounds, not having Posh totally changed our defensive plan," McDermott said. "Posh doesn't shoot a bunch of 3s. He impacts the game in a lot of ways, and obviously they'd have been better defensively with him on the floor, but the guys that they put out there in his place made shots."

The postgame dousing of Matta by an exhilarated group of players shows a team that loves playing with each other and for their coach. Matta said he wanted to bring in "his guys" players who he knew could accept his style of coaching. Through tough wins against Marquette, Villanova and Creighton, and the marked improvement shown on the court, Butler's preseason Big East ranking of 10th was a gross underestimation.

Butler knew the talent it had in its remade roster. Bringing so many new faces together is challenging, but Matta's proven to be the right conductor, helping everyone play their part. There's a quiet confidence within the program now. A belief that Matta can lead the Dawgs back to The Dance.

"Obviously this is a big win, and we're just trying to stay the course," Telfort said. "Coach keeps talking about staying the course and just keep working every day. ... Trust our work basically, believe in ourselves and we're going to come out with wins."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball: Bulldogs put on offensive clinic at Creighton