Horizon League Tournament Recaps"I don't think any of us have talked about this streak," Butler coach Brad Stevens said. "To be 20-0 in the Horizon League is a big deal. I'm of that accomplishment. That's a hard thing to do."
Howard also pulled down nine rebounds for the Bulldogs (28-4), who were appearing in their fifth straight conference title game. The win gave Butler its sixth Horizon League championship.
Zach Hahn donated 11 points off the bench for the Bulldogs, who finished a perfect 15-0 at Hinkle Fieldhouse this season. The last time Butler went unbeaten at home was during the 2002-03 season.
N'Gai Evans finished with 13 points for the Raiders (20-12), who beat Detroit in the semifinals. Cory Cooperwood and Vaughn Duggins each chipped in nine points in defeat.
"I'm sure they scouted our motion offense and some of the tendencies we have in that area," Duggins said. "They were on us like glue. It was hard to shake free from them. The times we did shake free and got some open shots, we weren't able to hit them."
Wright State's lone conference title came in 2007 when it beat Butler.
Ahead 9-7 early on, the Bulldogs went on a brief 8-2 spurt to gain some breathing room. Mack's three-pointer capped the flurry, giving Butler a 17-9 lead with less than 12 1/2 minutes remaining.
A Howard three-point play and pair of Ronald Nored free throws put the Bulldogs ahead 32-21 with 4 1/2 minutes to go. The score was 42-28 at the half.
After trading baskets to start the second half, Butler turned the game into a rout by scoring 11 straight points. Gordon Hayward's jumper and layup extended the Bulldogs' lead to 55-30 with 14 minutes to play.
Shawn Vanzant made a pair of foul shots with 2 1/2 minutes left to make it a 69-39 contest.
Game Notes
The Bulldogs beat Milwaukee in the semis and haven't lost since Dec. 22 at UAB...Wright State was the second seed in this tourney...Butler shot 52.2 percent from the field, while the Raiders made just 34.6 percent of their shots...The Bulldogs own a 23-15 edge over Wright State in the all-time series...With the win, Butler tied former league member Xavier for most Horizon League Tournament titles...Butler is 30-2 at home over the past two seasons, and the Bulldogs have won 72 of their last 78 Hinkle Fieldhouse contests...The Bulldogs are now tied with Detroit for all-time Horizon League Tournament wins with 28.
3/10/2010 2:14:02 AM
