BUFFALO, N.Y. - Butler can shed the mid-major label. A.J. Graves and company proved the Bulldogs can play with anyone — including Maryland. Graves scored 19 points, including a clutch 3-point basket with 2:09 remaining to lift the Bulldogs to a 62-59 win over Maryland in the second round of the NCAA tournament Saturday.

Butler's A.J. Graves celebrates after defeating Maryland, 62-59, in a second round NCAA Midwest Regional tournament basketball game Saturday, March 17, 2007, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

Butler (29-6), the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Regional, advances to the round of 16 for the second time in school history. The Bulldogs did it previously in their last tournament appearance in 2003.

Maryland (25-9), making its first tournament appearance since 2004, has not advanced past the second round since 2003. The Terps were undone by an aggressive and smaller team, which kept their offense out of rhythm.

Brandon Crone scored with three minutes left to put the Bulldogs ahead 58-56. Then, after Maryland's Ekene Ibekwe missed a 6-footer, Graves hit a 3-pointer from the left corner to all but seal the victory.

In the final half-minute, with his team trailing by two, Maryland coach Gary Williams decided to let Butler run down the clock. Butler missed in the final seconds but got the rebound, forcing the Terrapins to foul.

A free throw made it a three-point deficit, and Maryland ran out of time before it could get off a final shot.

Mike Jones scored 21 for the Terps, but the team couldn't make up for D.J. Strawberry's tough night. The senior managed eight points.

The game ended when Jones was unable to control Eric Hayes' inbounds just before the buzzer sounded.

It was an exciting finish to a game that featured seven lead changes and was tied three times in the second half.

Butler, coming off a 57-46 win over Old Dominion in the first round on Thursday, picked the right time to win two consecutive games for the first time in more than a month. The Bulldogs entered the game 5-4 in their past nine.

Crone scored 13 points for Butler while Green added eight points and eight rebounds.

James Gist had 13 points and eight rebounds for Maryland, which capped an up-and-down season with a tough loss.

Maryland lost the opening game of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament to Miami and also endured a difficult midseason stretch in which it went 3-5 against league rivals.

The Bulldogs, by comparison, add Maryland to a high-profile list of teams they've beaten this season — a group including Notre Dame, Indiana and Purdue.

Butler squandered an 11-point lead early in the first half but never trailed after going up 39-36 lead on Drew Streicher's 3-point basket five minutes into the second half.

The Terps were particularly stymied in the first half, going 6:29 without scoring a field goal before Gist hit a reverse layup with 1:13 remaining. Maryland missed three attempts, committed four turnovers and hit 1-of-4 free throws during its drought.

The Bulldogs slowed the pace, and got back quickly after their missed shots, making it very difficult for the Terps' to be effective in transition. Butler was also tenacious in collapsing inside, preventing Maryland's big men from putting the ball on the floor in the paint.

Maryland committed 17 turnovers, including five by Strawberry.