Playing without defensive leader Posh Alexander for the first time this season, Butler's game against No. 13 Creighton turned into an offensive shootout.

The entire second half featured both team's best offensive sets, with each coach designing ways to get their best players good looks at the basket.

Offense was at a premium, but in the final seconds of the game, Landon Moore swatted away a Creighton lob, giving Butler a signature, resume-boosting 99-98 win.

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The win is Butler's first at Creighton since 2015. Friday's game is the first Big East game since 2011 where both teams scored more than 95 points in regulation.

Jahmyl Telfort led Butler with 26 points. D.J. Davis scored 22 points. Pierre Brooks II extended his season-long double-figure scoring streak with 14 points. Finley Bizjack added 11 points. Moore got the start for Alexander and finished with eight points.

Butler executes well enough down the stretch

To foul or not to foul? That's the question for Butler after a head-scratching loss to Providence early this season. Butler lost that game in overtime, and faced with a similar situation against Creighton, Butler coach Thad Matta chose to foul up three with 11 seconds left.

Choosing to foul put pressure on Butler to successfully inbound the ball and make its free throws. The Bulldogs are a strong free-throw shooting team, but failure to inbound the ball nearly cost them Friday. After two made Ryan Kalkbrenner free throws, Telfort's inbounds pass bounced off Davis and went out of bounds.

Butler desperately wanted to get the ball to Davis, the second-best free throw shooter in the nation. But with a chance to win the game, the Bluejays turned the ball over, giving it back to Butler. Boden Kapke came in for an injured Davis (more on that later) and sank the winning free throws.

It wasn't pretty, but Butler did just enough to earn its fourth Quad 1 win of the season.

Bench players come up big for Butler

Go down the roster, almost everyone played their part.

Landon Moore made his first start of the season.

Finley Bizjack entered the game shooting 20% from 3 and shot a perfect 3-for-3 from deep.

Augusto Cassia hadn't played during the first half all season, but he found himself in a must-win game after Jalen Thomas picked up his second foul.

Butler needed crucial minutes from its reserves with Alexander out, and they all delivered. Butler finished with a 25-4 advantage in bench points, but none were bigger than Kapke's two free throws in the final seconds.

After Davis got poked in the eye and left the game, Kapke subbed in for Davis. Since Kapke was Davis' sub, he had to shoot the two free throws the Bulldogs desperately wanted Davis to shoot. With a calm well beyond his years, the freshman sank both, easily the two most important points of his young Butler career.

Butler showed the poise of a NCAA tournament team. This win may not be enough to punch a ticket to the Big Dance, but the Bulldogs certainly gave the committee something to think about. Coupled with the road win at Marquette, these are the types of results that hold up a resume.

Telfort, Davis, Brooks II are big shot makers

Facing a Creighton Big 3 of Kalkbrenner, Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman, it was Butler's Big 3 of Brooks, Davis and Telfort who led their team to victory.

After struggling with his shot early in conference play, Telfort showed the power-based, inside-outside game that made him a matchup nightmare during nonconference play. Brooks continues to be one of the most consistent scorers in the conference. And Davis is in the midst of a breakout, scoring 20-plus points for the second straight game, while showing the deadeye shooting that allowed him to torch the Big West for three seasons at UC-Irivine.

At times last season, it was a question whether Butler had enough firepower to compete in the Big East. With its group of talented transfers leading the way, there's no doubt that Butler can score with the best teams in the nation.

More to come on this Friday night thriller coming Saturday morning at IndyStar.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball picks up major resume boost with Creighton win