Butler-Valparaiso Preview

2/4/2008 6:01 PM

By MIKE LIPKA
STATS Writer

Butler hasn't played in 10 days, but that didn't stop the Bulldogs from breaking into the nation's top 10.

The 10th-ranked Bulldogs return to action for the first time since Jan. 26 on Tuesday when they visit Valparaiso for the first of three straight road games in the Horizon League.

Butler (19-2, 8-2) hopes to start 20-2 for the second time in school history - the other being last season, when it started 23-2 and also reached a No. 10 ranking. The team was idle this week, but still jumped two spots in the AP top 25.

The Bulldogs haven't played since beating Illinois-Chicago 73-57 two Saturdays ago, notching their third straight win. Matt Howard scored 20 points to lead the team in scoring for the seventh straight game, while teammate Mike Green added 15 for the Bulldogs, as each reached double figures for the 12th consecutive game.

A.J. Graves' 16-point night - albeit on 6-of-15 shooting - was more of a surprise after the senior had averaged just 7.9 points on 27.1 percent shooting in the seven previous games. Graves led Butler with 16.9 points per game last season.

"I don't anticipate him to have very many slumps," Butler coach Brad Stevens said. "When he does come out of it, it's no surprise to myself or anyone else in the locker room."

Graves shot just 2-of-10, scoring five points the last time Butler played Valparaiso (14-7, 5-4). But Green had 24 points, eight rebounds and five steals while Howard added 12 points and six rebounds in a 73-65 home win in the intrastate rivals' first game as Horizon League foes.

Butler and Valparaiso have faced off 93 times, but only three times since the 1994-95 season, with Butler winning all three. The Bulldogs have won seven of eight in the series dating back to the 1990-91 season.

The Bulldogs, who are two games ahead in the loss column on their closest competitor, also play at Wisconsin-Green Bay and Wisconsin-Milwaukee before returning home. They are 3-2 in Horizon League road games.

Valparaiso, in its first Horizon League season, is just 2-2 at home in conference. The Crusaders also haven't played since Jan. 26, when they squandered a late six-point lead and lost 65-63 at home to Loyola of Chicago.

Brandon McPherson had 13 points to lead Valparaiso, and Finnish sophomore Samuel Haanpaa added 11, but leading scorers Shawn Huff and Jarryd Loyd were held to 16 total points on 5-of-15 combined shooting.

As a team, Valparaiso leads the league in both field goal percentage (46.2 percent) and field goal percentage defense (41.6 percent), but has lost six of its last 10 since a 10-1 start.

The Crusaders have also lost 21 straight against ranked teams since beating then-No. 13 Mississippi 70-69 in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament on a last-second 3-pointer by current assistant coach Bryce Drew, the son of 19th-year head coach Homer Drew.