No. 23 Butler uses familiar game plan to roll past Ball State 59-38

No. 23 Butler rolls past Ball State 59-38

MUNCIE, Ind. — No. 23 Butler went back to the basics Wednesday night.

It opened with a flurry of 3-pointers, locked down on defense and rolled to a 59-38 victory at Ball State, its 14th consecutive win against a fellow school from Indiana.

The Bulldogs (5-2) needed a confidence boost after losing two of three games, both to Top 25 opponents, on its recent trip to California, and the Cardinals (2-3) were the perfect remedy.

Gordon Hayward, last season’s Horizon League newcomer of the year, scored 15 points and had eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Shelvin Mack also had 15 points, including four 3-pointers in the first 6minutes of the game. Matt Howard, the reigning Horizon League player of the year, stayed out of foul trouble and finished with 11 points, all but one in the second half.

Defensively, the Bulldogs were even better.

Ball State shot 19 percent from the field in the first half and 31.7 percent for the game, produced only 11 first-half points and committed 18 turnovers. Plus, the Bulldogs didn’t allow the Cardinals to get closer than double figures over the final 27 minutes.

Malik Perry had 11 points and Jarrod Jones added nine for the Cardinals, who have lost three straight overall and six straight in this in-state series, which has been played every season since 1950.

Butler wasted no time in taking control.

Mack opened the game by making Butler’s first four baskets — all 3s — before Hayward hit a 3 to give Butler a 16-4 lead with 13:43 to go in the first half.

Ball State never recovered, making only two baskets in the first 11 minutes.

When Butler wasn’t scoring, the Cardinals still couldn’t cut the lead. Hayward’s looping drive for a layup with 6:39 to go in the half ended Butler’s 7-minute drought without a basket. The score: Butler 20, Ball State 8.

By halftime, Butler led 29-11.

Things didn’t get much better in the second half for Ball State, which had nearly as many turnovers (14) as points (15) with about 15 minutes to go.

And though the Bulldogs made only four of their last 20 3-point attempts, Ball State never got closer than 16 points.

Butler finally heads home Saturday after playing six straight games on the road or neutral courts.