GAME NOTES: After each defeated a nationally-ranked team in the quarterfinals, the Butler Bulldogs and the Oklahoma Sooners will square off in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis at Imperial Arena.

The winner will advance to the championship game on Friday to take on either Wisconsin on Georgetown, while the losers play in the third-place game.

Oklahoma came into the season No. 19 in the polls but was ousted from the likes of the nationally ranked following a road loss to Creighton on Nov. 19, 65-63. The Sooners have since won back-to-back games to pull to 3-1, including a quarterfinal-round victory over No. 22 UCLA on Wednesday, 75-65.

Butler pulled off a shocking upset in the quarterfinal round of the tournament by knocking off the fifth-ranked team in the nation and one of the event's favorites North Carolina on Wednesday, 74-66. The triumph allowed the Bulldogs to remain perfect on the season at 4-0.

The programs have met four times in their histories, with each side winning twice.

The Sooners appeared in jeopardy of falling to the consolation side of the bracket down by seven midway through the second half, but they caught fire down the stretch, finishing the game on a 26-8 run to capture the 10-point victory. Buddy Hield put the team on his back with 10 straight points late in the game, part of a game-high 24 points. Frank Booker and Jordan Woodard were both solid with 11 and 10 points, respectively, while Ryan Spangler narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. It wasn't the Sooners' most efficient shooting performance, as they made a lowly 32.8 percent from the field, but they held UCLA to less than 38 percent shooting and outscored it at the foul line, 23-9.

Oklahoma has struggled with its field goal efficiency all season long at only 39.4 percent, but that hasn't stopped it from scoring 76.5 ppg, which is partially due to its 9.3 3-pointers per game and positive margins in the turnover (+1.8) and rebounding (+2.8) battles. Hield (21.5 ppg) is one of the nation's most prolific shooters from beyond the arc, making 15-of-33 from long range. Isaiah Cousins (12.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Spangler (11.0 ppg, 10.3 rpg) round out the double-digit scorers.

The Bulldogs went into intermission with a small deficit, 35-32, but they separated themselves from UNC midway through the second stanza with a 16-4 run to pull away, and they sealed the victory by shooting 11-of-12 at the free- throw line over the final 1:34. They only shot 30.6 percent from the field in the contest, but they held UNC to a poor afternoon from the floor as well (.386), and they outscored the Tar Heels from 3-point range (27-12) and won the rebounding battle by a convincing margin (57-40). Alex Barlow and Kelan Martin spearheaded the effort with 17 points apiece. Roosevelt Jones tallied 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Kellen Dunham scored 11 points, albeit on just 3-of-17 from the field.

The Tar Heels were able to keep Butler well below its season average in points (80.8 ppg), but its defensive effort in the victory was no fluke, as it allows just 52.5 ppg on 35.4 percent shooting. Dunham is the top scoring option with 17.0 ppg, draining 11-of-25 from 3-point range. Martin comes off the bench to net 13.0 ppg and Jones brings 11.0 ppg and 7.0 apg to the table.

If Butler plays like it did on Wednesday it is capable of beating anyone in the nation, and it is surely in for another outstanding matchup in the semifinals against Oklahoma. However, in the end the Sooners' 3-point prowess will be too much for the Bulldogs to handle.