MURRYSVILLE — Go figure — and bring a calculator.

Franklin Regional — averaging 52 points per game — exploded for a season-high 84 Tuesday night, shooting a sizzling 66.7 percent from the floor in stunning Butler, 84-75, in a non-section boys basketball game.

The Panthers (3-8) sank 34 of 51 field-goal attempts, including nine 3-pointers. They had lost six of their previous seven games.

The Golden Tornado (8-5) were coming off section wins over Pine-Richland and North Allegheny last week.

“You hope to build momentum and carry it through your section games,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “We had a chance to do that tonight. Instead, we're back to where we were before the Pine-Richland game.

“It's back to the drawing board for us at practice tomorrow. Our defense was pathetic.”

Butler actually shot out to an 8-0 lead as Franklin Regional turned the ball over three times on its first four possessions. Jake Hilliard drove for a layup and Cody West drained two of his five treys on the night.

From there, the night was a disaster.

The Panthers closed the first quarter with a 16-4 run, then outscored Butler by 10 in the second period to take a 14-point lead into halftime. Butler never got closer than nine in the second half and trailed by as many as 16.

Sparkplug Butler guard Dom Pusateri left the game with a knee injury with five minutes left. His status was not immediately known.

“We shot the ball really well tonight,” Franklin Regional coach Brad Midgley said. “We've got some shooters who are capable. We've just been tentative and hesitant with our shots.

“I talked to the kids about that before the game. Tonight, we just let it loose.”

The Panthers' previous season-high in a game was 69, coming in a 72-69 loss to McKeesport on Dec. 16.

David Gregory, a senior guard, leads Franklin Regional with 14 points per game. He struck for 19 and five treys Tuesday. Sophomore guard Charan Singh averages 10 ppg and struck for 25 points and four treys against Butler. He sank 10 of his 11 shots from the floor.

Senior forward Jack Summers had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Panthers, Graham Schilling 10 points and eight boards. Neither is averaging in double digits this year.

“They hit the shots and they deserve credit that way, but they were open shots that high school teams make,” Clement said.

“We showed a lack of commitment tonight. We showed a lack of motivation. We showed a lack of a lot of things.”

Nate Snodgrass paced Butler with 18 points, six assists and five rebounds. West had 15 points while Luke Hartung came off the bench to sink four treys and score 13 points.

Jake Hilliard had 10 points, David Tompkins seven rebounds. Franklin Regional outboarded the Tornado, 33-28.

The Panthers won the game despite suffering 16 turnovers to Butler's nine.

“Butler was coming off a big win over North Allegheny,” Midgley said. “Sometimes, in its next game, a team can hit the wall after a game like that.”

Clement isn't buying it.

“This game will probably turn around their whole season and we let them do it to us,” he said. “If we play defense against Central Catholic (Friday) like we played it tonight, they'll score 140 on us.”

BUTLER 75Nate Snodgrass 5-10 7-9 18, Cody West 5-17 0-0 15, Trevor Wideman 2-4 0-0 4, Jake Hilliard 4-5 2-3 10, Dom Pusateri 0-5 6-6 6, Luke Hartung 4-9 1-4 13, Matt Baranchak 0-2 2-2 2, David Tompkins 3-5 1-4 7.

Totals: 23-57 19-28 75.

FRANKLIN REGIONAL 84David Gregory 6-11 2-2 19, Kevin Flaherty 3-3 1-2 7, Jack Summers 7-10 2-6 16, Jordan Buchanich 1-3 0-0 2, Charan Singh 10-11 1-2 25, Jim Clair 0-1 1-2 1, Graham Schilling 5-8 0-0 10, Nate Holozek 1-3 0-0 2, Josh Stokes 1-1 0-0 2.

Totals: 34-51 7-14 84.

Butler 12 15 24 24—75Franklin Regional 16 25 20 23—843-point goals: Butler 10 (Snodgrass, West 5, Hartung 4); Franklin Regional 9 (Gregory 5, Singh 4).

Junior varsity: Franklin Regional, 56-43 (B: Mark Gross 14, FR: Matt Risch 13, Matt Renzi 12)

Friday: Central Catholic at Butler