HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

No. 25 Butler 75, Evansville 67: Rotnei Clarke and Andrew Smith scored 20 points apiece as the host Bulldogs completed a five-game sweep of their Hoosier State foes by holding off the Purple Aces.

Kellen Dunham had 13 points, Roosevelt Jones scored 12 and Kameron Woods recorded 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulldogs (9-2), who have won six straight and were coming off an upset of unbeaten and top-ranked Indiana 88-86 in overtime Dec. 15.

Colt Ryan led the Purple Aces with a season-high 25 points, including five in a nine-second span to cut Butler's lead to 71-67 with 26 seconds left. Ryan added five rebounds, five assists and five steals as Evansville (7-5) had its two-game winning streak against Butler snapped.

The Bulldogs erased a 9-3 deficit and took their biggest lead of the first half - 30-21 - after Dunham's three free throws with 4:46 left completed a 13-4 run. The Purple Aces answered with a 10-5 half-ending spurt, ignited by Ryan's four-point play.

Butler opened a 48-36 lead after Clarke's three-point play with 13:43 remaining before Evansville scored seven straight points. The Bulldogs extended their advantage with an 8-2 run, with four points apiece from Jones and Dunham, to take a 56-45 lead with 7:11 left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Butler made its first 15 free throws before Smith missed with 3:49 to go. The Bulldogs finished 23-for-27 from the line. ... Butler also defeated Indiana schools Ball State, IUPUI and Division III Hanover. ... The Bulldogs improved to 170-25 at home since the start of the 1999-2000 season.