=== No. 19 Butler bests Evansville to stay hot ===
 
 Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Andrew Smith and Rotnei Clarke each scored
 20  points  as the 19th-ranked Butler  Bulldogs held off the Evansville Purple
 Aces, 75-67.
 
 Kellen  Dunham  and Roosevelt Jones added  13 and 12 points, respectively, for
 the  Bulldogs (9-2),  who stunned  previously unbeaten  and then-No.  1 ranked
 Indiana  in overtime  last  Saturday. Kameron  Woods added  10  points and  12
 rebounds.
 
 Colt  Ryan ended with  25 points for the Purple Aces (7-5), who had a two-game
 winning  streak  snapped. Ned Cox  and Ryan Sawvell  tallied 12 and 10 points,
 respectively.
 
 Trailing  by four,  13-9, with 11:13 left  in the first half, Butler went on a
 21-8  run to take the lead. Clarke and Dunham each tallied seven points during
 the  surge.  Dunham capped the  burst with three free  throws to make it 30-21
 with 4:46 remaining.
 
 Evansville  stayed within  striking  distance  and cut  the  gap  to 35-31  on
 Sawvell's layup and a pair of Cox free throws.
 
 The Bulldogs tried to pull away early in the second half. Holding a 41-36 edge
 with  16:31  to play, the Bulldogs  ripped off seven straight points. Clarke's
 three-point play made it a 48-36 contest.
 
 However,  the  Purple Aces  responded with  a 7-0  run of  their own. Cox's 3-
 pointer  and  layups from  Sawvell and Jordan  Jahr cut the  gap to 48-43 with
 11:59 left.
 
 Butler  kept its  cool and extended its  margin to 56-45 on Dunham's layup and
 jumper.
 
 The  Bulldogs  went 5-of-6  from the foul  line in the  final minute to secure
 their sixth straight victory.
 
 
                                   Game Notes
 
 Evansville  leads the all-time series by a 62-56 margin, but Butler has won 12
 of the last 15 meetings ... The Bulldogs went 23-of-27 from the foul line.
 
 12/22 17:02:19 ET

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