Butler-Ill.-Chicago Preview

2/19/2008 4:44 PM

By MATT BECKER
STATS Writer

Before a meeting with another ranked mid-major, Butler looks to win at least a share of the Horizon League title for the second straight year when it faces Illinois-Chicago on Wednesday in its final road game of the season.

The eighth-ranked Bulldogs (24-2, 13-2) have a two-game lead over second-place Wright State in the Horizon with three league games remaining. The Bulldogs, who host No. 16 Drake of the Missouri Valley Conference on Saturday, lost their first meeting of the season with the Raiders on Dec. 8 and the teams meet again at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Feb. 28.

Butler can clinch the league title outright and earn the top seed in the conference tournament with a win on Wednesday coupled with a Wright State loss to Detroit the same night.

The Bulldogs were picked to win the Horizon, and can finish no lower than second following Saturday's 51-46 victory over Cleveland State - their eighth straight since a 56-52 loss to the Vikings on Jan. 17. Butler also moved up one spot in the latest AP poll - the highest ranking in the history of the school and conference.

After recording season highs of 89 points and 62.3 percent shooting in a victory over Youngstown State on Thursday, the Bulldogs were held to their second-lowest point total of the season Saturday.

Mike Green, who leads Butler in scoring with 15.1 points per game, was scoreless in the second half and finished with six points, matching his season low.

While the offense struggled, Butler limited Cleveland State to an opponent season-low 31.3 percent shooting.

"I was really proud of the way our team dug in there to get this win," Butler coach Brad Stevens said.

A.J. Graves scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting on Saturday, and has been playing much better since Butler's 73-57 win over UIC (14-12, 8-7) on Jan. 26. Graves scored 16 points against the Flames, and is averaging 15.5 on 39.5 percent shooting in his last six games after averaging 7.9 on 27.1 percent shooting in his previous seven.

Freshman forward Matt Howard led the Bulldogs with 17 points and eight rebounds on Saturday, and also had a team-high 20 points in Butler's win over UIC last month.

The Bulldogs have won their last two over the Flames by 42 points, and have won five of the last six meetings in the series.

Butler lost its last game at UIC, however, as the Flames upset the then-No. 12 Bulldogs 73-67 in overtime on Jan. 10, 2007.

The Flames have won three of their last four home games over the Bulldogs, and are 11-1 at UIC Pavilion this season.

UIC lost to Wright State 52-51 on Saturday to drop its second straight following a four-game winning streak.

Scott VanderMeer put the Flames ahead by one point on a tip-in with 19 seconds left, but his foul at the other end of the court allowed Wright State's Cooper Land to hit two free throws with 7 seconds remaining.

Flames guard Josh Mayo, who is averaging a team-high 18.1 points, had 19 points against Butler last month.